FORMER President of the Guyana Legion, the distinguished World War 2 ex-serviceman, Mr. Hector Bunyan, died on Sunday at his South Ruimveldt Park home after a brief period of illness. Had he lived, he would have been 90 today, having been born on August 28, 1922.
Mr. Bunyan had enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a serviceman within the armed forces. He left an indelible mark as Chief Note-taker with the Judicial System, having given yeoman and exemplary service within the courts; where his service, which commenced in 1948, lasted for decades.
A highly efficient stickler for discipline and efficiency, he commanded the admiration and respect of all the judges within the Judiciary.
Of international acclaim, Mr. Bunyan was a member of the British Guiana Contingent that formed part of the South Caribbean Forces during the days of the global conflict, (spanning 1939-1945) better known as World War II. That body, comprising conscripted members from the various Caribbean territories, was put together by the English during 1945, and functioned as a support or back-up group to frontline soldiers.
It was decommissioned at the end of the war following mopping-up operations, and Bunyan returned home to British Guiana in 1947.
It was in 1948 that this citizen of renown  gravitated to the legal arena, serving as a Note Taker within the courts and moving on to become a Justice of the Peace (JP)as well.
General Secretary of the Guyana Legion, Mr. Kingsley Nelson, received the news of Bunyan’s death with deep shock and sadness. Recounting his contribution to the Guyana Legion, and indeed the armed forces at an international level, Nelson said, “I do feel the Legion has lost a true and valuable member, a member of the Ex-servicemen’s Legion; and by extension, it has lost one of its stalwarts. On my own behalf, and on behalf of the Guyana Legion and all its members therein, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to his wife, Mrs. Winifred Bunyan, children and other family members.”
Nelson recalled that during his tenure as General Secretary, Bunyan was elected as President of the Guyana Legion in 1970.
“During the years I have known him, and particularly my association in the Guyana Legion, I have found him to be a most dynamic and honest gentleman both in social and professional life, and a true companion who upheld fair play to the letter.
“Notably, he was a man of dignity, probity and rectitude; was never afraid to speak the truth, and was always ready to give a listening ear and appropriate advice, where needed, in relation to the law and how one should conduct oneself in relation to upholding the law.
“He was a warm and dear fellow, endeared by all the Ex-Servicemen; never despised or disrespected by any member,” Nelson concluded.
Meanwhile, veteran Court Reporter George Barclay, who also expressed deep shock at the passing of Mr. Bunyan, attested to Bunyan’s dignity and integrity. He recalled that prior to entering the courts as a Note-taker, Bunyan worked as a reporter with one of the national newspapers.
“I had the privilege of working in the courts where Mr. Bunyan worked as Chief Government Note-taker, and can tell you that he was held in high esteem by all the judges. His experience was so varied that, at times after the summing up, he would point out to the judges what to him appeared to be lapses.”