The AIF Project

John Bowen ROGERS

Regimental number85
Place of birthCamberwell, Melbourne
SchoolState School, Victoria
ReligionMethodist
OccupationSteward
AddressTorah, Staley Street, Brunswick, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation24
Height5' 7"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Gertrude Rogers, Torah, Staley Street, Brunswick, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed in the Royal Australian Navy.
Enlistment date4 September 1914
Place of enlistmentLiverpool, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentCorporal
Unit name13th Battalion, A Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/30/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A38 Ulysses on 22 December 1914
Rank from Nominal RollCorporal
Unit from Nominal Roll13th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 4 July 1918
Age at death from cemetery records23
Place of burialVillers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery (Plot VIII, Row C, Grave No. 3), Fouilloy, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
70
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Frank and Gertrude ROGERS, Torah, Staley Street, Brunswick, Victoria
Other details

[Early part of Form B103 missing from file.]

Found guilty, Tel el Kebir, 28 July 1916, of being absent without leave from 1753, 19 July, to 28 July 1916 (10 days), and being in possession of a false pass: awarded 168 hours' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited a total of 16 days' pay.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 6 August 1916; marched in to 4th Training Bn, Codford, England (date not recorded).

Proceeded overseas to France, 17 September 1917; rejoined 13th Bn, in the field, 1 October 1917.

Wounded in action, 16 October 1917 (mustard gas), and admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance; transferred to 10th Casualty Clearing Station, and then to 8th Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, 17 October 1917; to England, 19 October 1917, and admitted to Connaught Hospital, Aldershot, 20 October 1917; transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 12 November 1917; discharged to No 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 12 November 1917.

Declared an illegal absentee by Court of Inquiry, Hurdcott, 27 December 1917.

Tried by District Court Martial, Hurdcott, 30 January 1918, on charges of (1) being absent without leave from 5 December 1917 until apprehended at London, 8 January 1918; (2) representing himself as an Officer at London, 8 January 1918; found 'Guilty' on both charges; sentenced to be reduced to the ranks and awarded 84 days' detention and forfeiture of a total of 140 days' pay.

Unexpired portion of sentence (14 days) remitted as from 9 April 1918.

Marched in to No 3 Command Depot from Devizes Detention Barracks, 8 April 1918.

Proceeded overseas to France, 9 April 1918; rejoined Bn, in the field, 17 April 1918.

Killed in action, 4 July 1918.

Statement, Red Cross File No 2340604J, 3278 Pte H. WARDMAN, 13th Bn, 25 September 1919: 'At Hamel about 9 a.m. just as we reached the final objective he was shot in the stomach and died immediately. He was buried just behind our front line trench in a shell hole. I helped to bury him.'

Second statement, 663 Pte R.C. NIXON, 13th Bn, 26 September 1919: 'We were in action at Hamel Wood on morning of July 4th. about 10 a.m. and was [sic] returning to our lines after raid on enemy, when he was shot through the right lung by enemy sniper who was concealed in the wheat fields between our own and the enemy's lines. He asked me remove his tunic which I did, he was bleeding very much and no stretcher bearers being handy was put into a shell hole where he died ½ hour afterwards, he only remained conscious a few minutes and during that time did not complain of any pain. Here he was buried but I am not sure if cross was erected. He was in civil life a Jockey ... He was very short, about 5' 5" and was known by all as "Jockey Jack". Inf[ormant]. was only about 2 yards from him when he was hit.'

Third statement, 3278 Pte H. WARDMAN, 13th Bn, 21 August 1919: 'At Hamel about 9 a.m. just as we reached the final objective he was shot in the stomach and died immediately. He was buried just behind our front line trench in a shell hole. I helped to bury him.'

Fourth statement, 6594 Sergeant BUCKLEY VC DCM, 13th Bn, 27 October 1919: 'Casualty was killed on the 4th. July right in front of Vaire Wood, near Hamel. I did not see him actually killed, but I saw his dead body lying among several Germans. I went through his pockets to see if he had any papers on him. He had a bullet wound in his cheek and several wounds on his body caused by a bomb. Death was instantaneous. I did not see him buried but a party was sent out from the Battalion, to bury the dead.'

Fifth statement, Red Cross File No 2341005F, 6985 Pte A.L.N. FERRIS, 13th Bn, 9 April 1919: 'I saw Rogers killed by machine gun bullet through stomach about 7 a.m. just as we we reached the final objective near Hamel - he was conscious for a little while and was put into a trench where he died within a few minutes. He was buried near where he died.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, ROGERS John Bowen
Red Cross File No 2340604J
Red Cross File No 2341005F

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