The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
South Holland said farewell to one of the district’s last remaining Second World War veterans last week.
Ernie Covill (97) died on Thursday and tributes have been paid to the former lorry driver.
He made the papers earlier this year when he was the guest of honour at an open day to unveil a wartime vehicle which had been retrieved from the mud.
The Crowland Buffalo had been part of the Normandy Landings and Mr Colvill had driven a similar vehicle during his service.
The Buffalo had been used as part of the flood defences in 1947. It was unearthed in a mammoth operation earlier this year.
As a special guest at the event, Mr Colvill said he felt that he could probably still drive the Buffalo, if it had a working engine.
“It was easy to drive, it was like a toy,” he said at the time.
He was carried on-board, in his wheelchair, by members of the 32 Royal Engineers who have taken over the legacy of the 79th Armoured Division which operated the Buffalos during the war.
Mr Colvill, of Wyberton, had been a lorry driver in civilian life before he joined the army. He was a driver with the Royal Army Service Corps and saw service on D Day.
Over the last three decades he had become friends with veterans fundraiser Harold Payne, of the Anglia Motel, Fleet.
Mr Colvill attended the majority of pilgrimages back to Normandy organised by Mr Payne and was a familiar face at events.
“He was a lovely old boy and we will miss him. He was one of the last of the veterans and he was always kind,” said Mr Payne.
He is hoping there will be military involvement in Mr Covill’s funeral in respect of his past service.
Two years ago Mr Colvill took part in a tribute to the fallen when he went out to sea at Hunstanton, in North West Norfolk, in a restored landing craft. He joined other local veterans and two pipers as he laid flowers amid the waves.
The 1,000 rose petals were in memory of those who lost their lives during Operation Overlord.
