John Frederick (Fred) RODGERS

RODGERS, John Frederick

Service Numbers: 2440, 2440A
Enlisted: 1 July 1915, Brisbane, Queensland
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 9th Infantry Battalion
Born: Saint Arnaud, Victoria, Australia, November 1884
Home Town: Boulder, Kalgoorlie/Boulder, Western Australia
Schooling: Saint Arnaud State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Died of wounds, Belgium, 22 October 1917
Cemetery: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Plot XXII, Row B, Grave No. 15A
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Boulder Roll of Honor
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World War 1 Service

1 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2440, Brisbane, Queensland
5 Oct 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2440, 25th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: ''
5 Oct 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2440, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Warilda, Brisbane
27 Feb 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 9th Infantry Battalion
9 Oct 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2440, 9th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Poelcapelle, Shell wound (back, penetrating abdomen)
22 Oct 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2440A, 9th Infantry Battalion, Died of Wounds

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Biography contributed by Paul Trevor

'Private John Frederick Rogers (2440/A), 9th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, son of Catherine and the Iate Robert Rogers, was born and educated in Victoria. He enlisted in Queensland and after training at Enoggera, sailed for Egypt on the 16th October. He then went to France and was in action until October, 1917, when he was wounded at Passchendaele and died at the Canadian Casualty Station.' from Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire - Western Australian Edition

'CHARGING GERMAN TRENCHES.
FIERCE FIGHTING ON BOTH SIDES. "GOT TWO WITH BAYONET."

Private J. F. Rogers, writing from France on August 4, to his sister, Miss Louise Rogers, of Boulder, says: -

"We had a bit of fighting last month. Australia made a name for herself again. The papers say our last fight was better than the landing, so you can guess it was hot. We charged Fritz at 12.30 in the night. You ought to have heard the guns. There were hundreds of cannon barking. Machine-guns and rifle bullets were falling amongst us like hail stones, but they did not stop our boys. We jumped into the German trenches and drove them out. The fighting was very fierce on both sides. This lasted for five days and nights. We looked a rough lot when we got relieved. We did not have a sleep or a shave or a wash.

"I nearly did my dash the last day Fritz counter-attacked us. We were knocking them over like rabbits, when all of a sudden I was knocked silly for the rest of the day. I could not hear a gun go off after. A big shell had struck the parapet where I was shooting over. I am still deaf in one ear. Last night it ached all night. It's like a hive of bees buzzing in my head. I suppose it was Fritz' turn to get me, for I came through the raid on July 1 with only a few scratches, after I knocking a few of their heads off with bombs, and this time I got two with my bayonet the first night. I could not say how many I shot, for it was hard to say who was hitting them. Sometimes there would be four or five firing at the same one. I hope to have the pleasure of getting a few more of them before we come back to Australia." from Kalgoorlie Western Argus 7 Nov 1916 (nla.gov.au)

'KILLED IN ACTION.

ROGERS.- Died of wounds on October 22. Private John Frederick (Fred.) Rogers, dearly beloved son of Mrs. C. E. Rogers (Boulder), and brother of Jim, Bob, Mabel, Lill, Louie, and Isobel.' from Western Mail 23 Nov 1917 (nla.gov.au)

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