5ft 3in Soldier Who Captured Germany's Tallest Nazi Awarded Highest French Honour

               
                        Bob Roberts now                                     Bob Roberts now Bob Roberts then


One of Britain’s smallest soldiers has been awarded France’s highest honour for his bravery in the Second World War.

5ft 3in Bob Roberts reached great heights in the war, cheating death on numerous occasions and taking the surrender of a 7ft 6in Nazi soldier, as captured in a striking photograph by one of his comrades.

He is one of the 3,000 surviving Allied servicemen to be given the prestigious Legion d’honneur by the French government for their role in liberating the country from the Nazis.

The 92-year-old great-grandfather served as a Corporal in the war, fighting in France and evading death at every turn.


He came close to losing his life more than once, surviving a blast that killed the man next to him, being grazed on the temple by a sniper’s bullet and witnessing an enemy spy be shot dead moments before she killed him.


Tragically, his younger brother Ernie was less lucky and died only the day after he took up the same position Mr Roberts had just left when his company was relieved.


Mr Roberts’ most memorable moment came when he took the surrender of Germany’s tallest soldier. Standing at 7ft 6ins, Jakob Nacken was more than two feet taller than his British counterpart.

The David and Goliath moment was caught on camera by one of Mr Roberts’ comrades.