大象传媒

Poppy Butcher was 11-years-old at the start of World War Two. Initially the bombing raids were few and far between but they increased rapidly and with more intensity after the first year.

One of the dates she remembers vividly is 4 July 1940, when a lone plane bombed Portland Dockyard killing her father and thirteen others.

When the end of the war in Europe was announced Poppy was working as a Junior Clerk at Portland Council. She heard Churchill announce the ceasefire on the radio, followed by a promise of two days holiday. Poppy ran up the road to her boss鈥檚 house to check she could have two days off and then arranged to go into Weymouth with her cousin the following day.

Bus travel was free that day. Poppy and her cousin celebrated on the seafront, dancing and singing with the crowds and even doing the conga along the front. She and others climbed up onto the bandstand where Poppy was invited to sing. She impressed them so much that they invited her to sing with them full-time and this marked the start of a long career.

Poppy met her husband at a dance shortly after the war and years later they organised a commemorative event in Weymouth to mark the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, this went on to become a regular event in Weymouth that Poppy still organises to this day.

Christened 鈥楨velyn Poppy鈥� the young Poppy was seen clutching a commemorative poppy in her hand as a baby, when her grandmother remarked: 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a real Poppy here鈥濃��and the name has stuck ever since.

Image: Poppy

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