HIS war medals glinting in the winter sun, West Somerset’s oldest street poppy seller was back on his Minehead pitch this week – and delighted with the public’s response.

D-Day veteran Roger Charlebois is spending up to five hours a day in his mobility scooter outside the Iceland store selling poppies for Minehead’s Royal British Legion.

“People are being so generous – I think it must be due to the First World War commemorations,” said the 95-year-old.

“I’ve been doing this for over 70 years – for five years on this pitch in The Avenue – but this is one of the best years I can remember.

“Never mind small change, banknotes are coming in handfuls. I took nearly £900 last year and the way things are going we should beat that.”

Roger first arrived in Minehead with the Canadian army in 1943 and later made it his home. He drives to his pitch from his home in nearby Blenheim Road.

“Roger is a real star,” said Minehead British Legion chairman and Poppy Day organiser Phil Collins.

“He is amazing for his age and people love to talk to him. Our poppy campaign wouldn’t be the same without him.”

Roger joined the Canadian 21st Armoured Regiment when he was 15 and two years later was driving a Sherman tank on active service in Europe.

He arrived in Minehead in 1943 for target practice on the US tank training ground on North Hill and met his wife-to-be, Dorothy Dyer, known as Millie. They married when Roger returned to Minehead after the war.

Roger landed on Normandy’s Juno beach on D-Day and the 21st Armoured Regiment spearheaded the drive into Holland where they met fierce German resistance.

His tank was hit three times, killing two crew and wounding the co-driver. Roger was also wounded but, after a spell in hospital, was assigned another tank and rejoined the invasion campaign.

“I was one of the lucky ones who reached Germany to help finish the job. I lost so many good friends and saw some terrible things.

“You never forget those war years and the friends you lost, although it is now a long time ago.

“Selling poppies is something I can still do to help the families of people who, unlike me, didn’t come back.”