The Fishmonger


Doug Coppard was a Bombardier in 387 Battery and later 470 Battery of the Kent Yeomanry.

When enlisting into the Kent Yeomanry in early 1939, Doug (who was also known as ‘Tinker’ to his friends) was a fish seller at the famous Billingsgate Market in London. He worked for his father’s company that had been trading there since 1798.

He recalled “Selling fish was a disgusting smelly job, and you had to be quick on your toes. You had to take cash, calculate pounds and stones, weigh the fish and a whole lot of other things…It was absolutely frantic….”

Getting up at 3.45am each morning and working 6 days a week, it was a wonder he had time to be a part-time soldier!

After war was declared, and the regiment mobilised, Doug went to France with the regiment as part of the BEF.