JUST months away from celebrating his 100th birthday, distinguished and decorated Royal Wootton Bassett veteran Ken Scott has died.

After hanging up his rifle on a military career which saw him storm the beaches of Normandy and strike a blow against the desert forces of the Nazis at El Alamain, Ken was pivotal in the town’s repatriation ceremonies.

He passed away last Friday at Ashgrove House Nursing Home, with local Legion branches planning to band together to give the Bassett stalwart a guard of honour before he is laid to rest.

In 1985, Ken helped instigate five years of work which culminated in the town’s Garden Of Remembrance, and he spent hours after each repatriation gathering up the tokens, flowers and memorials so they would not be lost to the elements.

He was also a key member of the community, and served as a town councillor and Mayor of Wootton Bassett from 1984 to 1985.

Having fought for three years in North Africa as part of the eighth Army 30 corps, Ken enlisted with the Durham Light Infantry before landing at Gold Beach in 1944.

And last summer he retraced the steps of that perilous journey back to Normandy. Along with fellow veterans he was handed the Medal of Honour from the French Government for his efforts.

In more recent days, Ken could be found sitting on his personalised mobility scooter by the town war memorial.

Tom Blunsdell, the chairman of the Royal Wootton Bassett British Legion, said Ken would be missed as a pillar of the community.

“He collected all the letters and tributes to the fallen during the repatriations from our memorial so they would not get destroyed or get lost,” he said.

“In the later days he used to chug around Royal Wootton Bassett in a mobility buggy with the personalised licence plate, ‘Ken.’

“He was a man who spoke his mind. He knew what he wanted and how the world should be, and he tried to make it so.

“Even after he moved from his house to a home in Wootton Bassett, he was still in full control of his faculties and was discussing politics and the elections at length. He was still mentally strong.

“He will be extremely missed and had quite an impact on the legion.

I have only been here for six years, and he used to shout at me in meetings because he couldn’t hear what was going on, so we got a microphone and PA system installed.

“He was generally a lovely guy, and he worked absolutely tirelessly for the poppy appeal.”

Chris Wannell served as Ken’s deputy when he was mayor.

“Ken was an honourable man who contributed a lot to the community, serving on the council and as mayor,” he said.

“He was also a keen Conservative and served as chairman of the Conservative Association at one time.

“He was very vociferous, and if he thought he was right, he would be very strong-minded about it.

“He did not like waste, and if he caught any he would be on you like a tonne of bricks.

“He was a lovely person for the town, and he used to go to the memorial and look after all the flowers and keep it all tidy.

“He had lost his wife, Babs – they had been very close.

“He worked for the town and anybody who puts in so much effort deserves all the praise they can get.

“We have been very lucky to have him, because not many towns have people like Ken who will put themselves to work so hard.

Speaking of his work at the repatriations, Ken told the Adver: “I was in the Western Desert for three solid years. I know what a sandstorm is like, I know what the flies are like, and I know what the heat is like.

“I want them to know – the mums and dads who leave messages – I want them to know that Wootton Bassett is looking after those messages, those sacred messages.

“We have looked after them and they’ll be there forever and a day, I hope.”

The funeral will be held at St Bartholomew’s Church, in Royal Wootton Bassett, on Wednesday, August 26 at 1pm. All are welcome and the family request that red colours are worn to symbolise the poppy appeal.