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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 683

(x) A 'Western Front' M.M. group of three awarded to Private H. C. Rogers, 1st Regiment, South African Infantry, attached South African Engineers, who was decorated for 'exceptional bravery' in maintaining telephone lines before being killed in action in the 'man-made volcano' of the German Spring Offensive

Military Medal, G.V.R. (X-295 Sapr. H. C. Rogers. Sig: Coy. S.A.E.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Pte. H. C. Rogers. 1st. S.A.I.), with Bronze Memorial Plaque (Herbert Caleb Rogers), good very fine (3)

M.M. London Gazette 9 July 1917.

The Official Recommendation dated 23 April 1917 relates to Rogers and three comrades:

'These N.C.O.'s and men showed exceptional bravery and energy on the evening of the 12th. April, 1917 and morning of 13th. April, 1917 in maintaining the telephone line from east of Fampoux to Athies. It was of the utmost importance that Brigade Headquarters should be kept in touch with Battalions, and these men went our repeatedly in heavy shelling, and succeeded in achieving the object aimed at. They had performed exceedingly good work on the 9th., 19th., and 11th. instant, and had been practically without rest for four days. Their efforts have been favourably commented upon by Regimental Commanders and Battalions Signalling Officers.'

Herbert Caleb Rogers was born in 1897 in the Cape Colony, the son of Caleb Eden Rogers of Venterstad, Eastern Cape, South Africa. A postal clerk by occupation, he attested for service with the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force on 2 September 1915 an initially served as Signaller to Brigade Headquarters Staff from 30 January 1916 at Matruh, Egypt. Sent to the 9th Divisional Signal Company on 20 May 1916, he was transferred to a company of South African Signallers and posted to the Western Front in time for the Second Battle of Arras from 9 April-16 May 1917.

Rogers received a shrapnel wound to the shoulder on 7 May 1917 and was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Rouen two days later. Evacuated to England to recuperate, he returned to France on 18 January 1918 and was posted as missing in action on 24 March 1918. A letter to his father from the War Record Office on 10 January 1921 later confirmed what had happened to Rogers:

'I beg to inform you that according to certain German records only now received from Germany, the above named soldier (No. X604 Private Herbert Caleb Rogers, 1st S.A.I.), who was previously notified as missing, and later on death accepted, is shown as having died on or about 24th March, 1918. He is buried in field grave No. 10, Heudicourt.'

This confirmed that Rogers had been killed in action at Marrieres Wood, his final resting place being amongst the most heavily fought-over pieces of ground on the whole of the Western Front. A later newspaper article published in The Springbok in May 1964, named the wood as 'Destination Death':

'The whole countryside seemed to be in flames. Heudicourt was spouting like a volcano, and everywhere was the glare of burning stores and bursting shells.'

Dense fog shrouded the early morning of 24 March 1918. Having fought for three days the 1st South Infantry Brigade had suffered over 900 casualties, but the 478 survivors, possibly including Rogers at that time, were forced to wait in sodden shell holes for the inevitable onslaught. At 9am the enemy launched their attack, their artillery opening up at the same time. By 4pm it was all over:
'Hope of relief had completely faded away and at 4.30pm on orders from the Brigadier further resistance was abandoned. Hordes of Bosche descended upon a group of men who had fought them to a standstill. Their ammunition exhausted, there were many among them who had to be restrained from going over the top to finish it off with the bayonet. As the Bosche came up no man raised his hands. Rifles now useless were flung to the ground. The fight was over.' (The Springbok, refers)

Fewer than 100 unwounded men were left. Brigadier Dawson, in command, who became a prisoner of war following the gruelling encounter, later stated:

'It is not given to all soldiers to die a hero's death but, by their valorous conduct at the wood of Marrieres, these men lifted to the greatest heights the prestige of their country and wrote a shining page into the military annals of a virile race.'

Aged 20 years, Rogers is further commemorated at Pozieres Memorial; sold with copied service record, copied research and extracts from The Springbok, together with an account of the fighting from 21 March-24 March 1918 by Captain E. J. Burgess, M.C., 1st S.A.I.


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Sold for
£500

Starting price
£210