A HERO of the Second World War has won his battle to sell poppies at the main entrance of Somerfield in Ryde after outraged protests from members of the public and the Royal British Legion (RBL).
Doug Turtle, 87, who served on one of the Royal Navy vessels which sank the German battleship Bismarck said he was told by a member of staff he was 'in the way’ after complaints from customers he was obstructing the sandwich chiller.
He was forced to move from his usual place at the store on Monday and had to sell poppies from the ground floor, next to the toilets.
Outraged members of the public contacted the County Press and the RBL about the store’s decision all this week.
However, following a meeting yesterday (Thursday) between the store manager and the RBL’s poppy appeal organiser, John Taylor, Mr Turtle will be allowed to collect from his usual pitch from today (Friday).
Mr Turtle is one of the last survivors of c, one of two British vessels which hunted down and sank the mighty German battleship Bismarck in May 1941.
He also served in the Arctic convoys and was mentioned in dispatches and won the DSM (Distinguished Service Medal) for bravery.
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| Doug Turtle in his Second World War navy days. |
On Monday, he went to take up his usual pitch at the entrance to Somerfield’s store in Anglesea Street where he has sold poppies for around 20 years. However, on arriving he was told he had to move.
He said: "I put my stand up on Monday and had been there for three-quarters-of-an-hour when a lady came along and said 'the manager wants me to move you’.
"I have always sat there but the lady said 'you are in the way’."
Mr Taylor said: "I spoke to the manager and everything was very amicably sorted out. I could see the situation the manager had been put in by some of his customers."
A spokeswoman for Somerfield confirmed Mr Turtle had been asked to move because of complaints from customers.
She added: "However, this decision prompted further complaints and it was decided Mr Turtle would be accommodated upstairs in the main store as he has been in previous years."
Reporter: davidn@iwcpmail.co.uk