On This Day in Wembury
14 December 1940 — Chummy the Air Raid Puppy
At Plympton Police Court, Mrs. June Pedder of Wembury was fined 4 shillings for keeping a dog without a licence. The puppy, “Chummy,” had strayed to the family during an air raid, and despite her efforts no owner could be found. Mrs. Pedder broke down in tears, fearing the dog would be taken away, but anonymous benefactors soon stepped in: one paid the fine, others sent money and gifts. Most moving was her daughter Wendy, aged seven, who emptied her money-box, sacrificing her dream of a Christmas doll’s bed, so that Chummy’s licence could be bought.
In the middle of wartime shortages and fear, the story of Chummy touched hearts across Plymouth and beyond. It is a reminder of how small kindnesses, shared burdens, and even a child’s sacrifice can soften the hardness of life in difficult times, and especially just before Christmas!
Source: Western Morning News, 14 December 1940.
