“IF we can take on board the spirit in which he did things and make a positive difference, then I don’t think he will ever really leave us.”

The children of Normandy veteran and former Mayor of Royal Wootton Bassett Ken Scott have spoken of their admiration for the decorated 99-year-old, who passed away last week.

Born into abject poverty, Ken’s deeds in life awarded him the title of Hero of Suffolk in his home county, as well as the Medal of Honour from the French Government and was named lifetime Vice President of the Wootton Bassett Royal British Legion.

Born on May 31, 1915 in Thorpele-Soken, Essex, Ken’s family soon moved to Felixstowe where he picked up his East Anglian accent.

When his mother died in 1936, he could not afford the sixpence to lay flowers at her grave, and later in life chose to collect flowers and tributes at repatriation ceremonies in Bassett to preserve them.

He leaves behind children John, 53, and Barbara, 64. His first child Marion died of leukaemia at a young age in 1948, and he lost wife Babs in 2007.

John said: “He was a harsh taskmaster as a dad. Some of that was just the nature of his generation, and some was part of his upbringing and experiences during the war.

“He did struggle to express emotion, but he could also be very mature, so it was quite a juxtaposition. He was able to be a very loving father.

“From an early age expressions of affection just didn’t happen in that family, but the one thing he retained was a marvellous sense of humour.

“The last time I saw him conscious was the week before he died, and a nurse insisted on staying with him, so I had to tell her not to mention football or he would be up challenging everyone to a game.

He would always express some optimism that tomorrow would be a better day. My prevailing memory of him will be with a glint in his eye and a smile on his face, and sadly that was a part of him we didn’t see enough of.

“On his last night he really wanted to have fish and chips and mushy peas for dinner. I said we would get some the next day to celebrate, but he passed during the night.”

Ken had fought for four years in the deserts of North Africa and the fields of France, having landed at Gold Beach on D-Day, and like many others who survived the conflict, did not escape unscathed.

“It took an awful lot to get things out of him, but he told us things about Bergen-Belsen you won’t see in any history books,” John added.

“There were certain things that he just didn’t talk openly about. He started having nightmares about grotesque faces and ten foot desert rats, and he did question whether these things were punishment for all the things he did in the war. Just before he died it did seem that he had regained his innocence.

“He always tried to do what he believed was the right thing, and he had everybody else’s interests at heart. All those hard knocks he had made him realise while no one person can make a difference, if we all contribute it can be a better society.

“I admire the fact that he sacrificed his innocence so the good in the world would hopefully prevail.

If we can take on board the spirit in which he did things and make a positive difference, then I don’t think he will ever really leave us.”

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 requests that red colours are worn to symbolise the poppy appeal.