Carol, 56 – who is an ambassador for the RAF Air Cadets – took to Twitter to back the last surviving British airman, with her saying that she and many others were left “extremely disappointed” when he failed to get the honour that he deserves.
The former I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! star wrote on her change.org petition link: “I’m Carol Vorderman MBE, TV presenter and Honorary Ambassador for the RAF Air Cadets.
“Last year I met 95-year-old George ‘Johnny’ Johnson – Britain’s last surviving hero from the Dambusters raid on Nazi Germany. I was overwhelmed and humbled by his achievements and what he has done for this country.
“That’s why many of us were extremely disappointed that, in spite of being nominated, he was overlooked in this year’s New Year Honours list. I can’t think of anyone who deserves a knighthood more than Johnny.”
Her message continued: “There were many fine people who received awards, but I believe they would all agree that Johnny deserves one too.
“He is an incredible man who volunteered for one of the most dangerous missions during World War II. And since then he has been a teacher, a counsellor, endlessly supported young people and raised huge amounts for charity.”
Carol first met Johnny, 95, at the cadets’ 75th anniversary celebrations last year and she’s clearly extremely passionate about getting him knighted, as she took to social media on numerous occasions throughout today to push the petition.
Carol’s petition came after The Sun published extracts from Johnny’s book The Last British Dambuster.
He recalled the moment when he was a 22-year-old bomb aimer and was on a mission to blow a hole in a number of German dams during World War Two.
Johnny wrote: “We all felt the fear. I don’t know anyone then and I don’t know anyone now who would deny it. But you had to block it out. If I concentrated on doing my job I didn’t have time to be scared.”
