John and James Burgoyne

Two Ludlow twins who had been stationed thousands of miles from each other got the surprise of their lives when fate brought them together to celebrate their 21st birthdays.

Servicemen John and James Burgoyne were delighted when they bumped into each other during a party in Germany, despite John having spent six months in Iraq and James being based in Winchester.

Rifleman John Burgoyne was told he was to leave Iraq early and return to his military home in Paderborn, Germany for his 21st birthday.

The sound of the bugles announced the soldiers’ return but one of the buglers had an even better surprise – John’s twin brother, bugler James, was among them. “It was a real surprise and a twist of fate,” said John. “I wasn’t expecting to be on the flight and James was chosen from all the buglers in Winchester to come here – nothing was planned.”

The chance meeting gave the pair time to plan what they will get up to once they are home with family and including their mother, Annette.

Meanwhile, John is continuing with his training. He is about to undertake an extreme marathon by running 65 miles to commemorate D-Day.

Training began in Iraq and having completed a marathon as part of the training in Germany he is now set to undertake this charity challenge. John

said:“Project 65 has been the battalion’s chosen charity and we raised loads in Iraq.”

He added: “I am hoping to do a bit more while I am at home.”

Project 65 is commemorating the D-Day Coup de Main where the antecedent regiment of The Rifles, the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, captured the bridges at Ouistream, immortalised as Pegasus Bridge.

John will be leaving on June 4 from Tarrant Rushton Airfield, where the gliders took off, and running 65 miles to Pegasus Bridge where the 215 runners will arrive at the same time the gliders landed – 0016hrs June 6, which signified the start of D-Day.