Even though David was my step brother I never ever thought of him as such. He was my big brother who was very clever, articulate, factually retentive, in fact everything I wasn’t but when it came to being practical I believe I beat him hands down.

In our younger years however he used to play some pretty mean tricks. Mum and Dad bought a set of encyclopaedias, I believe they were actually called ‘Books of Knowledge’ and in volume 8, and I used to know the page number but the memories not quite so good these days, there was a full colour page of a very hairy reddy brown spider which had just killed a humming bird. When I was annoying to him, and that often happened being 8 years younger than him, he would open the volume at the particular page and I would freak out and he would chase me all over the house with it. I hated spiders, especially that one!!

We used to play cards, I think it was a chore he had to put up with because Mum was busy and didn’t need me distracting her. So out came the gin rummy. Now most people play a couple of hands and that’s it but our games went on for years and we didn’t start a fresh game each time, David added up as we went along and I think it finished up something like 15,000 David to 360 Pam. Now of course David made up the rules as we went along and it wasn’t until a few years into the game I learnt that, I was a slow learner.

I really missed him when he was called up for National Service and I’ve no idea why but I’ve always remembered his NS number. Apparently I wasn’t allowed to repeat it to anyone else because he used part of it for his PIN numbers. I started to teach other people gin rummy only now I was winning.

I was always very proud of him, it was really something to have an older brother and I wasn’t backward in letting everyone know. I remember a time when he was to sit for a library exam and he was very sick. I think I was 9 perhaps 10 at the time. Mum had to take him up to London and one of the examiners had to take him out for some special treatment. He came 4th out of a class of 80. I thought he was nothing short of a genius!!!

He had a quick sense of humour. I can remember being in the lounge with Mum and she had taken her shoes and stockings off to soak her feet after a gruellingly shopping trip. Poor Mum had really ugly feet. David came in and looked at Mum’s feet and said “Ah! So that’s what they mean by ‘for better or worse’!” Another time we were having a heatwave and Mum was trying to blow some cool air into her shirt. Dave walked in and said “What are you trying to do Mum, blow them up?” Cheeky, but Mum clipped his ear and laughed along with him.

We grew apart when he went to Rhodesia but only because of the distance and when he came home 3 years later I had grown up even though he still treatedme like a kid but we became good friends.

How many brothers would stand with you at the check-in when your were on your way back to Australia with a suitcase that was double the weight it should be and hand over his credit card to cover the £150 excess?!!! I made a few visits to England and Dave was always there for me and I hope in the later years I was able to give back a little. I’ll miss our phone calls which were late for me and early for him and nearly always consisted of Spurs, cricket, putting the world to rights, Spurs, families and, probably mostly, reminiscing about our past. Our calls always ended the same way from both of us, love to you and all the family.

I thank God for getting me back home safely and I thank this wonderful family, especially you Alison, for sharing this very special time with me. Be at peace my brother, love you.