After the war, he became chairman of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen.
Mr Cohen said he was “deeply humbled” to have been recognised for years he spent teaching young people about the war and his experiences.
“When I was commanding troops many miles from here, in very tough conditions, never did I even imagine that aged 101, I would receive such an honour,” he said.
“As the years go by, there are less of us around to tell our story. I look forward to continuing to educate as many people as possible in the years ahead, health permitting.”
Mr Cohen, who is originally from Sunderland but now lives a one-bedroom flat in Edgware, dedicated his award to the “soldiers who didn’t come home.”
Read our interview with Mordaunt Cohen from 2015
