VETERAN Ken Scott lived and died a fighter before he was laid to rest – adorned with his array of medals, army cap, and draped in the colours of the Union Jack yesterday.

The Royal British Legion stood tall for the 99-year-old, lining the path of St Bartholomew’s Church in a respectful guard of honour, holding aloft the flags of the Legion and the Normandy Veterans’ Association.

Ken served for three years in the deserts of North Africa before storming the beaches of Normandy, later in life settling down in Royal Wootton Bassett where he became a pillar of the community.

A stint as a councillor led to a term as Mayor of Royal Wootton Bassett in the early 1980s, after which he was instrumental in the construction of the Garden of Remembrance.

The Rev Derek Ormston told the congregation of more than 200 friends, family and veterans: “His long life was lived not just for him, but for many others, fighting for the truth as a soldier against the enemy to gain our liberation and bringing full life to others.

“He was a man of character, a man who stayed true to his brothers and, certainly, the effects of the war changed him.”

Tributes were also paid to Ken by his son, John, daughter Barbara, and two grandsons.

“He was a father, father-in-aw, grandad, friend and comrade,” said John.

“His was a life lived to the full. He was born a fighter, lived a fighter and died a fighter. He survived the Depression and World War Two. The sorts of experiences you would not wish on your worst enemy became daily occurrences.

“Fate dealt further cruel blows when his daughter and first wife were taken from him.

“It would have been easy for him to retreat into his own world at that stage, but instead he did the only thing he knew how, and fight for survival.

“He found a town and community here that became a safe haven. He adopted Wiltshire and loved it.

“Being one of his children was never easy.

“Often goals and rewards were set and when the goals were reached you would find the goalposts had shifted.

“This taught us not to rely on expected outcomes and accept the consequences of our actions. We learned from the lessons life had taught our father.

“He knew all too well the things worth dying for, and there was little worth killing for. He had a strong sense of justice.

“Since May of this year he was fighting a losing battle against fibrosis. After accepting his fate he declared he wanted to go back to the land of the living, as he had more living to do yet.

“He began his final mission in which a tactical withdrawal was the only option. His flesh and bones may no longer be with us, but his spirit can still live on.”

Daughter Barbara read a poem written for Ken by the 452nd quartermasters company of the US Army, who Ken became very close with during the war, and he never missed a reunion.

“God looked around his garden and found an empty place," she read.

"Then he looked down upon this earth and saw your tired face.

“He saw the road was getting rough and hills were hard to climb, so he closed your weary eyelids, and whispered, ‘peace be thine'.”

As he was led from the church, surrounded by splashes of poppy red, Ken departed to the sounds of birdsong in Call of the Skylark.