 The Legion has been Olive's life after losing her first husband |
A Bristol woman who has sold poppies to raise money for the Royal British Legion (RBL) is to be honoured with a medal for nearly 60 years of service. Olive Cook, 82, of Fishponds, Bristol, lost her first husband in submarine service in 1943. She later married an RAF pilot who was then shot down.
"I vowed to do service because I knew of the legion's work," said Olive.
"Getting the medal has not yet sunk in but I hope people always remember the sacrifice others made for our freedom."
 |  I thought of my husband, family and friends who were killed in the war and their faces come back to me. |
Olive joined the RBL in 1947 and has been selling poppies for the charity's appeal ever since.
"It's been my life and my first interest after losing my sailor husband in 1943," she said.
"He told me if anything happened to him to always wear a smile so I've never got bitter."
On Monday, Olive put a poppy cross in the ground at College Green in Bristol before being presented with her medal.
"I thought of my husband, family and friends who were killed in the war and their faces come back to me - the memories are very clear," she explained.
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