ROGER, Alexander
| Service Number: | 233 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 44th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rochdale, Lancashire, England, 7 January 1883 |
| Home Town: | Victoria Park, Victoria Park, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Employee |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France, 22 August 1918, aged 35 years |
| Cemetery: |
Cote 80 French National Cemetery, Etinehem Plot 1, Row D, Grave 9 |
| Memorials: | Victoria Park War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 233, 44th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jun 1916: | Involvement Sergeant, 233, 44th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 6 Jun 1916: | Embarked Sergeant, 233, 44th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Fremantle | |
| 22 Aug 1918: | Involvement Lieutenant, 44th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 44th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-08-22 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Campbell
Alexander A. Roger was born on 7 Jan 1883 at Rochdale, Lancashire, England to Scottish parents, William Roger (1849-1887) and Janet (Jessie) Marshall (1855-1920). He was the second of their five children. His father was a cotton dyer who passed away when Alexander was only four years old. His mother remarried and the Roger children lived in the household of their stepfather, John Holt. By 1901 Alexander and his younger brother, Ernest William Roger, were working as coal miners and living in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland with the family of an aunt.
On 15 Jul 1901 at Glasgow, Alexander enlisted in the Chatham Division of the Royal Marine Light Infantry. He served for three years and was discharged as a corporal on 12 Apr 1904. At the time of his discharge, he was described as 5’6” tall with brown hair and grey eyes.
Alexander arrived at Freemantle, Western Australia on 28 Jan 1909 aboard the R.M.S. Oroya. By 1910, he was working as a conductor for the Perth Electric Tramways. In 1913, Alexander married Amy Rebecca Danes (1894-1980) at Swan, Western Australia. Alexander and Amy had two children, Thelma (1914-1994) and Muriel Rebecca (1916-2003). He worked as a motorman for the Western Australia Government Railways from 24 May 1914 until 24 Feb 1916 when he was granted leave to join the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force.
On 27 Jan 1916, he enlisted at Perth, Western Australia for the 44th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force. Probably as a result of his prior military service, he was quickly promoted to Sergeant on 30 Mar 1916. On 6 Jun 1916, he embarked at Fremantle, Western Australia aboard the HMAT 29 Suevic for France. On 9 Dec 1916, he was attached to the 11th Australian Machine Gun Company for bombing instruction. On 13 Mar 1917, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and on 21 Sep 1917 to Lieutenant. On 31 Dec 1917, he was seconded for duty with the 10th Training Battalion and proceeded to England. On 1 Jun 1918, he was seconded to the 9th Training Battalion as permanent cadre. On 2 Jul 1918, he proceeded to France and rejoined the 44th Battalion on 13 Jul 1918. On 23 Jul 1918, he relinquished his appointment as bombing officer and resumed regimental duty.
On 22 Aug 1918, while serving with the 44th Battalion, he was killed in action. According to a unit report, he was “killed instantly by enemy shell fire about 8:30 a.m. on the morning of 22nd August 1918 whilst the Battalion was advancing on Bray with his company.” Lieutenant Alexander A. Roger is buried at Cote 80 French National Cemetery, Etinehem, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France (Plot 1, Row D, Grave 9). His headstone inscription reads “Sleeping Until the Resurrection Morn.”