Burgess – Roger Ian Stuart of Thaxted, Essex died on the 16th March 2019. Widowed since 2006, he leaves his mother, daughter and his two grandchildren, of whom he adored and was extremely proud.

Roger Burgess was educated at The City of London School and in 1968, after two years at RMA Sandhurst, he was commissioned and subsequently served with 9th/12th Royal Lancers for over 30 years (in Berlin, West Germany (BAOR), Northern Ireland, Oman (Dhofar Campaign) and Bosnia).

A keen sportsman in his youth, Roger represented the UK at the European Championships in 1972 as part of the 4 man bobsleigh team. He was also a proficient oarsman, representing the Army at Henley and various other international regattas between 1966 & 1968.

On leaving the Army, Roger worked as a specialist Military Consultant to a number of UK Defence companies for which he was awarded an OBE in 1997 together with the Freedom of the City of London, before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth as a Queen’s Messenger, whilst also acting as the County Commandant of the Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force as a full Colonel in the Reserve Forces.

He was an active member of the Royal British Legion, member of the Debden Branch and only recently retired as the Essex County Chairman. In 2017 he became a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Essex, a role he was extremely honoured to undertake.

A larger than life character with a great sense of humour, Roger will be enormously missed. His funeral will take place at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist With Our Lady and St Laurence in Thaxted on Tuesday 2nd April 2019 at 2.30pm.

Family flowers only please but if wished, donations can be made to Cancer Research UK or the MS Society c/o Peasgood & Skeates Funeral Directors, Shire Hill, Thaxted Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3AQ.