Pensioners across Colchester will today be remembering with great affection the "true gentleman" who relentlessly fought to get a better deal.

Cyril Williamson, chairman of the Colchester Pensioners' Action Group, has died, aged 75.

And today, his wife Barbara remembered a true family man who "worshipped" the ground his family walked on.

"Cyril was understanding, determined and he was a gentleman. He was so reliable and worshipped the ground I and the children walked on," she said.

Mr Williamson was born in 1925, at the foot of Boston Stump and was always fiercely proud of his Lincolnshire roots.

At the age of 15 he joined the Air Training Corps, he also volunteered for "Fire Watch" duty as part of the air raid precautions systems.

In July, 1943, he was called up for war service, joining the RAF as a flight mechanic servicing the flying boats protecting the Atlantic convoys. He was later transferred to the Army, serving with the tank division in Italy, Austria and Germany.

Mr Williamson joined the Royal Observer Corps in 1953 and it was here that the couple met in the early 1960s.

They married and have three children Ann, Melanie and Andrew.

For his service with the Royal Observer Corps in South East England he was awarded the Strike Command's Certificate of Commendation.

Mrs Williamson said her husband had a life-long passion for aircraft and was delighted when a trip to Duxford on his 70th birthday turned into a real surprise.

"We organised a flight in a Tigermoth. He thought they were beautiful planes. But what made it really special was that Andrew drove down from Cardiff so he could be there, Cyril could not believe it," she said.

In later life, Mr Williamson, together with his wife, fought tirelessly for better rights for pensioners - even a quintuple heart by-pass in September could not deter his commitment.

"It was very important to him, very important to us. Cyril just thought the people of his generation were betrayed by the welfare state," said Mrs Williamson.

The community was always a cause close to Mr Williamson's heart, he was nominated for the Help the Aged award this year, and he and his wife helped launch the YMCA Foyer Scheme in Colchester.

Mrs Williamson said Cyril will be remembered fondly by many people: "Everyone respected him. Everyone thought he was a lovely man, a true gentleman, and he was." He was honest, straight forward and in no way deviant. If he had anything to say he would say it, but he was always tactful.

"Everyone thought he was a lovely man, a true gentleman, and he was."

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