On June 6, 1944, teenager Poppy Butcher was working at Portland dockyard and watched from the top of the island as boats and planes left for northern France.

Now 95 years old, Mrs Butcher has recalled her memories of that day, 80 years on.

Mrs Butcher, 94, is well-known for her long-standing association with the armed forces and fundraising efforts

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For over two decades, she and her late husband organised the enormously popular military vehicles parade as part of Weymouth’s Armed Forces Celebrations.

Her father was killed in an air raid at Portland dockyard in 1940.

Working at the dockyard, Mrs Butcher was aware of the plans for D-Day, but was sworn to secrecy.

Mrs Butcher said: "I was working at Portland dockyard at the time, I was 15 years old.

"We weren’t allowed to talk about it [D-Day], we knew what was happening but we were sworn not to tell what was going on.

"The day before we weren’t allowed any conversations with any of the troops.

"We came home, went to the top of Portland and watched all of the gliders take off

"I went to work the next day and it was empty.

"Even after D-Day there were still troops they had to take more vehicles over.

"We used to meet the Americans in the park they would have tins of fruit, they would put a hole in the top, drink the juice and give us the fruit, we couldn’t get much like that because of rationing.

"My father was killed in 1940 in an air raid the dockyard, he was working there and he was killed.

"We celebrate every year, when my husband was alive we used to go to France every year.

"40 years ago we started the parade in Weymouth every year, the military parade in Weymouth, we have done it every year ever since."

Asked about the importance of celebrating D-Day, Mrs Butcher added:"So many men sacrificed so much, it is history.

"More ships set sail from Portland than from Plymouth and Portsmouth combined."