–with full military rites in hometown New Amsterdam

THE life of the late Lance Corporal Kevon Samuel Nicholson was celebrated on Thursday with a moving home-going service in his native New Amsterdam, where face masks and social distancing was the order of the day, and the doors of the Grace Temple Assembly of God Church were opened for the very first time since COVID-19 restrictions were imposed on the East Berbice township.

Nicholson, 23, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, along with fellow soldiers and Berbicians, Lance Corporal Tooney Peneux, 28, of Orealla Village, on the Corentyne River; and Private Shaqueel Denheart, 20, of Paradise Village, West Coast Berbice, died in the line of duty on the morning of Thursday, April 30, 2020, when a stack of pyrotechnics accidentally exploded at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)’s Arms Store Complex at Base Camp Stephenson at Timehri, on the East Bank Demerara.

He was the second of the three soldiers who perished in the tragedy to have been buried so far, and like his colleague, Peneux, who was buried on Tuesday in his native Orealla, was accorded full military rites.

During the course of his funeral service on Thursday, Nicholson’s climb up the military ranks, which began on June 7, 2017, was recounted by Lieutenant Colonel Selwyn Austin.
Having completed the Basic Recruit Course, he was posted to the Fourth Engineer Battalion, where he was afforded the opportunity to participate in the construction of roads, bridges, and airstrips among other infrastructural projects.

On sucessfully completing the Grade Three Combat Engineering course, he primarily functioned as a Field Engineer.

“A very quiet, disciplined, friendly, and hardworking individual, who was always willing to respond to the call of duty,” were some of the qualities Lieutenant Colonel Austin recalled that Kevon brought to the job.

He related that as the Unit continued to train ranks to improve capacity and competency, Kevon was selected to attend the Battlefield Engineer’s Course conducted by British Royal Engineers in June 2018.

Then, in 2019, when the South Rupununi was facing a drought, he was part of a joint humanitarian operation conducted in conjunction with military counterparts from both Guyana and Brazil, which saw the building of eight artesian wells and the upgrading of 30 kilometers of roadways.

And, during Guyana’s Independence celebrations, Nicholson was involved in the journey to Mount Ayanganna in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) to construct a monument there.
“His strength and determination was evident, as he endured the challenges. Kevon’s hard work, dedication and discipline was further recognised, as he was recommended and promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal,” Lieutenant Colonel Austin said in closing.

“We have lost a team-player, a dedicated, committed, extremely friendly, and hardworking soldier. Lance Corporal Kevon Nicholson, as we bid you farewell, we salute you for your service to the Fourth Engineer Battalion of the Guyana Defence Force, and Guyana at large,” he added, before going on to extend his condolences, on behalf of Chief of Staff, Brigadier Patrick West; Officers, Warrant Officers other ranks and civilians of the Guyana Defence Force to Nicholson’s parents, siblings and other relatives and friends.

The funeral service, which was conducted by Army Chaplain, Rev. J Nicholas Corbin, was punctuated by selected scripture readings, and special renditions by Otaphia Brushe, and members of the Grace Temple Worship Team.
The late soldier was interred at the Stanleytown Cemetery, on East Bank Berbice, just outside of New Amsterdam.