Rear-Adm (NS) Tay (left), now the chief executive officer of the Infocomm Development Authority, received the medal from France's ambassador to Singapore, Mr Pierre Buhler (far left), yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
THE former Chief of Navy, Rear-Admiral (NS) Ronnie Tay, has been conferred Officier (Officer) in the Order of Legion d'Honneur (Legion of Honour).
The Order - the highest decoration in France created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte - is meant to recognise civilians and military men, French or otherwise, for their distinguished actions.
It comes in five ranks: Chevalier (Knight), Officier, Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier and Grand Croix (Grand Cross).
France's president is the Grand Maitre (Grand Master) of the Order.
In a statement on Thursday, the French embassy noted that as Chief of Navy, Rear-Adm (NS) Tay had 'played an instrumental role in promoting the cooperation between French and Singaporean navies'.
It added that he also played a major role in transforming the Republic of Singapore Navy into a navy using cutting-edge technology, including six Formidable-class stealth frigates, the first of which had been designed and built in France.
Rear-Adm (NS) Tay, now the chief executive officer of the Infocomm Development Authority, received the medal from France's ambassador to Singapore, Mr Pierre Buhler, yesterday.
The decoration ceremony was held at the ambassador's residence at Cluny Park Road.
Past Singaporean recipients of the Order include former Chiefs of Defence Force, Chiefs of Intelligence, chiefs of the army, navy and airforce, and permanent secretaries.
