THOUGHTS FOR ROGER’s MEMORIAL, BY HIS TWIN BROTHER EDWARD - D As my twin brother Roger’s Memorial Service approaches on what would have been his 77th birthday, I ponder what to write to eulogize my dear departed Roger. I am finding it difficult to express in words what he brought to our relationship and what we shared that others might understand, but I will try. I had no flash of ethereal insight at the moment of his passing, which twins with greater empathy with each other have reported at such times, but his lack of communication of late and his missed Family Zoom sessions had made me unsettled, maybe it was forebodance. Perhaps this is indicative that we were more distant from one another than others might suppose. For nearly 78 years we had a somewhat competitive outlook on life – e was always the chunkier twin, but I obviously learned at an early age how to squirm my way to the front - our chronology as we knew it, has documented that I won the first contest, and was first to see the Light of Day. In our youth, we may have looked at the Life-Road ahead and got the impression that it was never ending, but as we age, fate, luck and chance take their effect, and the Life-Road ahead may now have a vague Stop Sign in the distance. In recent months both we twins have reached that part of the Life-Road that was decidedly shorter ahead than behind. Life is uncertain, and seems always to come with surprises. In recent times Roger was in poor health, but throughout his life he has had health challenges - nevertheless his passing came unexpectedly for me and I think to the rest of the family too. He never wanted a lot of fuss made over him, and kept his terminal condition quiet even from his family. I think that Roger did his utmost all his life to catch up on our feuding tally. During our youth we were combative to some degree, competitive sometimes, and cooperative at other times. We tended to egg each other along in life: when he achieved a goal, I would try to do one better, and then he would do something more surprising. I have recalled some of our youthful activities in a previous posting. We had different interests to some degree, but once Scouting was in our blood, that interest for Roger lasted many years, while I eventually moved on to other things. He was very involved with the Brownsea Island Scout Centre Restoration Project, and was also a dedicated Leader with the Barton Sea Scouts. In Roger’s early life, he was hampered by a series of physical misfortunes, some that had ramifications affecting the rest of his life – as an adult he had learned to adjust to live life as it was unfolded for him, and endure his limitations without complaint or remorse. There are many tales of our upbringing and adulthood that can be told, some of mischief, others of sibling rivalry - then there are tales of his achievements that he was the last person to speak of or brag about. On one occasion when I was about 9, the family went to Sandbanks Beach near Bournemouth – while we were eating a picnic lunch, Roger comes running up and told us there was a man on the dunes with a tripod mounted telescope watching the boats offshore – David and I ran over to the man and we three pestered him about what he was doing – he kindly let Roger peer through the telescope at the passing boats – unbeknownst to us, Mum had sneaked up and took a photo of us. She must have sent a copy to some famous artist, as later in life, I saw a painting of the scene with us wearing old fashioned clothes and Roger peering out to horizons only he saw. Over the years he often showed his inquisitive nature, his love of sailing, and his involvement in his community. As an adult, Roger did not stint himself in his interest in his siblings, extended family, nephews and nieces, friends and colleagues both at work and in his social circles. His passing has produced unexpected tributes from many sources. Our Family is spread around the world and Roger often stood in as my proxy for events I missed attending. In recent years, Roger travelled periodically to Canada to visit us here in Ottawa and his sister Kathy in Brighton, travelled across North America by train, and cruised the Pacific up to Alaska – he was generous with his time and resources, and was friends to anyone, anywhere, and at any time with the inclination to talk with him over a pint of the local best. In recent times Roger enjoyed helping out his brother David with tasks on his Kent Estate, his time spent at all the UK family events, and those in Canada too. Roger’s work life remains mostly a mystery to me, but I understand he was at BDH, NHS, worked on the C.E.R.N. Project, and must have done many other things that I hope to learn about someday. Although he kept in touch with the family by prolific emails - he had a quirky slant to his news covering his community news and his views of the global politics – but very little news about himself. Roger, your busy life has suddenly ended, and now it’s time for you to relax, and Rest-In-Peace. Well, what is left to be said – maybe to just say that he won one last contest: he was the first of us twins to see the Light of Heaven…. As I finalize this tribute to Roger, it is All Hallows Eve, a day traditionally set aside to acknowledge our departed family members, and honour their memory – a poignant and apt time as we think of Roger. Roger, I miss having you around to tease and appreciate your quirky sense of humour. With much love from those you leave behind, and especially of course your grieving Womb-Mate, Eddie.