L/Sgt. Joe Rogers MM

L/Sgt. Joseph Gerard Rogers MM No.2 Commando 5 troop. Information and photos from his family. Posted by his son Pete Rogers

My father was born on the 3rd June 1917 in Liverpool. He enlisted on the 17th January 1940 joining the 1st Battalion (Bn) Liverpool Scottish, Queens Own Cameron Highlanders TA. Whilst with 'C' Company he responded to the request for volunteers for 'special service of a hazardous nature' and was posted to No.4 Independent Company with effect from 15th July 1940. It was here he met Ken McAllister with whom he served for the rest of the war. Ken introduced him to his sister Joan, whom my father married after the war on the 23rd April 1946.
On the 21st July 1940 my father was attached to RTC Inverlochy.
On the 9th November 1940 he was attached to 'B' Company of No.1 SS (Special Service)Battalion at Paignton.
On the 4th March 1941 he was attached to the newly formed No.2 Commando. Here he joined 5 troop or, as it was known then, the 'Liverpool Scottish troop' (not to be confused with the Scottish Commando who were 11 Cdo). There followed more training in Dumfries, Ayr, and included demolitions training at Cardiff and Burntisland.
On the 28th March 1942 he and the rest of No.2 Cdo., having departed from Falmouth, in convoy for the raid on the Atlantic deep sea dock of St Nazaire. He was on board one of the wooden motor launches ML443 and was part of a demolitions team. The raid was a complete success but there were many casualties and even more taken prisoner. Being one of the few who made it back from that raid, he rejoined what was left of No.2 Cdo and was with them as new volunteers replaced those lost. They spent much of their time in Ayr.
He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Lance Sergeant and embarked with No.2 Cdo for Gibraltar on the 13th April 1943.
Three months later No.2 Cdo took part in the attack on Sicily and subsequent operations in Italy, Yugoslavia, the Dalmatian Islands, and Albania.
It was in Albania during Operation Healing 2, on the 28th/29th July 1944, that he was awarded his Military Medal (recommended by Major F.W. Fynn MC). He was wounded during this action and later further injured. As a result he was subsequently posted to HQ, 2 Cdo. Bde.
He was released to the reserve list on the 17th May 1946.

Click on the link to view (middle name misspelt) London Gazettes L.G.5.10.44

Citation:
"Lance Sergeant Joseph Gerard Anthony Rogers 2933493 Cameron Highlanders, No.2 Commando
Military Medal ( Immediate ) Spilje Bay, Albania 28th/29th July 1944 Operation Healing 2
L/Sgt Rogers personally led his sub section with conspicuous gallantry.In the face of heavy fire from two spandaus he continued to advance against his objective. Although wounded and in great pain he led his men on to close with the enemy and killed the machine gun teams. By this action, the troops on his left who had been held up, were enabled to advance again. L/Sgt. Rogers throughout showed a complete disregard of danger, and continually refused to allow his wound to interfere with his duties until the objective had been captured, and other casualties in his section had been dealt with first."

** My father never spoke much about his war and most of this information is from the National Archives or other official sources. My own personal thoughts on why so many of the Commandos never said much are varied. Certainly the horrors of war are the obvious one. I also believe it is because most of the Commandos were not regular soldiers as such. They volunteered when war broke out and went back to their civilian life when war ended. He was an office worker before the war and that's what he went back to afterwards. He was a member of the St Nazaire Society, and became Secretary of the Edinburgh branch of the Commando Association and remained so for many years. He always said the Commandos would be forgotten about when they all died off. I said that would not happen. The CVA and this website are the evidence that in this case I am pleased to have proved him wrong. My mother Joan passed away on the 18th September 1987. My father was 78 years old when he died on the 4th April 1996, having fathered 8 children. I am just one of those eight, but one who is not simply very proud of my father, but very grateful to both my father and mother for being the loving parents they were.

[nb]Follow this link to read more including a letter mentioning the death of my mother Joan Rogers: [Main Archive entry for LSgt Rogers MM]

There are additional pictures of my father in the troop photos and the Commando Association album. **Pete Rogers