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Robert Rogers

Prisoner of War – Nicholson’s Nek – 30 October 1899
Wounded in Action – Gun Shot Wound, Right Elbow - WWI

Private, Royal Irish Fusiliers

- Queens South Africa Medal (C.C./TALANA/O.F.S./TVL) to 5504 PTE R. ROGERS. RL. IRISH FUS:

Robert Rogers was born in the Parish of St. Thomas in Dublin, Ireland in 1873. The first time his name was brought to the attention of the reading public was in a report in The Freeman’s Journal, dated 13 April 1891, where he was a witness in “The Brutal Assault on a Policeman”: -

“Three men named Christopher Dwyer, John Byrne and Jas Whelan were charged with having at Elliot Place on the 3rd April assaulted Constable McIvor (57C). It appeared according to the evidence of a Constable that the prisoner Dwyer was guilty of disorderly conduct and he arrested him. Dwyer resisted arrest struck at the Constable, knocked him down, and while on the ground Byrne struck him and knocked off his helmet, and Whelan kicked him on the head, on the hand, and on the body.

Constable McIvor was taken to hospital, and he was still under treatment for the injuries received. A young man named Robert Rogers gave evidence that he saw Whelan and Byrne kick the Constable while he was on the ground. He ran and brought Constable 123C to the assistance of his comrade. He had been a van driver for the Aerated Bread Company.

Mr Keogh, for the defence – and they aerated you?

Mr Dodd – no they aerated themselves (laughter)

The Witness (Rogers) – They were compulsorily wound up and I was wound up too(laughter)

Dwyer, Byrne and Whelan were sent down for varying periods of time.”

Rogers would have his own day in court – on this occasion as the accused – when he was sentenced to 6 weeks Hard Labour in the Kilmainham Gaol for, “Larceny, a pair of boots value 4/-.” on 25 November 1892.

Not very long afterwards, on 20 January 1893, he attested for Militia service at Dublin with the 5th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Confirming his age as 20 years 5 months he was living at 21 James Street in the city. He was single and a Van Driver by occupation in the employ a Mr Hicks. He had already spent time behind bars himself for assault (separate to the Larceny conviction). Physically he was 5 feet 5 inches in height and had a fair complexion, blue eyes and red hair. A member of the Church of Ireland, he had no distinguishing marks about his person.

Assigned no. 2802 and the rank of Private he set about the drill and camp routine required of him from 30 January 1893. Possibly because of his work and where it took him, Rogers often appeared to be in the “right place at the right time” – the Evening Herald of Friday, 29 March 1895 reporting under the banner, “The Charge Against 150C – The Recorder and The Police”, quoted him as a witness in yet another court case, on this occasion where a policeman was on trial. Briefly, a Metropolitan police constable, Nathaniel Thackaberry had been charged with assaulting three Jewish gentlemen, Berman, Weinrock and Weiner, in the charge office of the police station.

“Robert Rogers stated that he was a Van Driver in the employ of Mr Hicks of Fairview. He saw Thackaberry and Berman in Gloucester Street. There was a crowd around them, and a stone was thrown which struck Berman on the left side of the head, causing it to bleed. Berman threw himself down and resisted arrest. The constable got Berman up who tried to strike him in the face. The constable then struck Berman a blow on the head with a stick. Afterwards when in Store street station witness saw Weiner try to prevent Thackaberry putting Weinrock in a cell by catching him on the arm.

Cross-examined, the Witness (Rogers) stated: “I am in the Militia. I was examined for Constable 57C in a case. He had three persons charged for assaulting him.”

The Recorder – “Do you think that it is a right thing that a constable, after a man is knocked down by a stone and is still bleeding, should strike him over the head? If he were an Irishman and not a Jew, do you think that would be right?”

The Witness – “I think it would.”

The Recorder – “Even if you yourself was the victim?”

The Witness – “Perhaps it might be in that case (laughter)

A Juror (to Rogers) – “What made you take such an interest in the case that you followed the man to the police station first, then to the hospital, and afterwards to Store Street Station?”

Rogers – “I was going along to see that the constable was not interfered with.”

The Recorder – “This is the new function of the Dublin Militia (laughter). When the Dublin police are unable to protect themselves they come to their assistance (laughter).”

Later that year, on 12 December 1895, Rogers attested for Short Service (5 Years with the Colours and 7 Years with the Reserve). Now 22 years old he was still living in the family home and employed as a Van Driver. Having been found fit by the Doctor he was assigned no. 5504 and the rank of Private with the Royal Irish Fusiliers. Initially posted to the Depot, he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 1 February 1896. After almost a year at home the battalion was sent to Egypt on 26 October 1898. After eleven months there they were posted to South Africa in anticipation of the outbreak of war between the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State and Great Britain.

Sailing from Alexandria, Egypt, on 24th September 1899, they arrived at Durban on 12th October from where they were at once taken up country, unfortunately without their baggage and much of their equipment, which was to follow, but never reached, the battalion.

On 13th October the 1st battalion arrived at Ladysmith, where they took outpost duty the same evening. On the 15th October at 11.20 pm they entrained for Dundee, taking supplies for the force at Dundee, and 400 rounds per rifle. On the evening of the 19th news came that the railway had been cut. On the 20th the infantry paraded at 5 am and were dismissed at 5.20 am, but were standing about when a gun was heard and a shell fell between the town and the camp.

The battle of Talana had begun!


Map of operations on Talana

Orders came to the battalion that Talana Hill was to be attacked, one company of the Fusiliers to be left in camp. The 1st Battalion Leicester Regiment was also left in or near the camp. The 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers were to direct in the centre, the 1st King's Royal Rifles on the left, and the 2nd Dublin Fusiliers on the right. When the battalions advanced the King's Royal Rifles seem to have inclined to the centre, and the 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers accordingly, to clear them, inclined to the left. All the battalions did a bit of racing. Before the wood at Smith's farm was reached orders came that the attack on Talana Hill was to be by the Dublin Fusiliers first line, King's Royal Rifles second line, Royal Irish Fusiliers in reserve. The maxims of the three battalions took up a position near the north-west corner of the wood at Smith's farm, and did excellent service. The wood was 1200 yards from Sand Spruit,—a watercourse between the town and the hill,—where the battalion had halted for a time. The ground between the spruit and the wood was open and devoid of cover. The leading battalions got into the wood and halted there. The wood was, roughly, 500 yards square, but parts of it were sparse. The two leading battalions advanced from the wood, some up either side of a 3-foot wall running perpendicularly up the hillside. They reached another wall running across the hill at right angles, but could not get farther. The Royal Irish Fusiliers were ordered to reinforce at the cross wall, and did so; then all three battalions jumped the wall and climbed the last and steepest part of the hill. Just below the crest the leading men had to halt and lie down, but were able to hold their own, when, to the horror of all, the British artillery burst shrapnel among them, and drove the whole down again to the wall. Colonel Yule seems to have hesitated about another assault, but risked it. The wall was jumped again, many of the Royal Irish Fusiliers being in the front line, and when the top was reached a second time the Boers had almost all fled, and the day was won, but at heavy cost.


Storming Talana Hill

The battalion went into action 640 strong. They lost Captain Connor and Lieutenant Hill and 15 men killed, and 5 officers and 37 men wounded. The newspapers spoke of 4000 British infantry being in the attacking force, but as the Leicestershire Regiment was left in camp, and none of the other battalions were stronger than the Royal Irish Fusiliers, 1900 was about the number of infantry engaged. It was said the Boers numbered about 4000 with four guns.

At 9.30 pm on the 22nd the retreat from Dundee commenced, and the Royal Irish Fusiliers had reason to feel the hardships of that awful march more than any of the other battalions, as they had no transport, and had to carry all ammunition, coats, etc. They had no kettles, and had to borrow these from the other troops at a halt. At 2 pm on the 26th they reached their camping-ground at Ladysmith physically done up. The last twenty-five miles had been done under fearful conditions; rain had fallen very heavily, and the road, so called, was a sea of mud, often knee-deep.

On the 29th the battalion was ordered to provide six companies as part of a column under Lieutenant Colonel Carleton, consisting of these companies, about six companies of the 1st Gloucestershire Regiment, and the 10th Mountain Battery; the force to take 300 rounds per rifle, two days' cooked rations, no water; no wheeled vehicles to be allowed. At 11.15 pm the column marched out towards Nicholson's Nek, which it was intended they should hold. The Irish Fusiliers led, followed by 45 mules with ammunition, etc, then the mountain battery with 135 mules, then 59 animals belonging to the Gloucesters, who brought up the rear.

"When the head of the column was two-thirds up the hill called Cainguba the battalion mules took fright, bolted down on the battery and the Gloucester mules, and the whole 240 animals swept through or over the Gloucester detachment. The Fusiliers pressed on and occupied Cainguba; 11 mules were recovered". At dawn the Fusiliers were moved back a little to a hill called Hogsback Hill. The Gloucesters now came up, and they occupied the left front somewhat in advance of the Fusiliers. The latter were placed along the right front, the right, and the right rear. There were no intrenching tools, and the men had to do what they could to make sangars with the very few loose stones available.

At daylight the Boers opened fire from Surprise Hill, 800 yards to the left front. At 7 am Boers were seen advancing from other hills on the right and right rear. At 8 am a company of Gloucesters was advanced 600 yards from the Hogsback to command the valley between it and Surprise Hill. At 9.30 am it was noticed that the main action was not progressing well; Sir George White's right column was seen to be losing ground, and the centre column could be seen to be stationary. At this time Boers came riding over from Pepworth Hill in large numbers. To meet these developments, pointing to an attack from the north, the position of some companies of the Fusiliers was changed. About 11 am Boers were seen to be occupying a knoll 1000 yards to the front. The advanced company of the Gloucesters was reinforced by a half company, but the whole of that advanced party were driven back, losing heavily. At 11.45 am many Boers appeared on the right front, and "a part of E company of the Fusiliers retired without orders from the lower ground on the front of the right of Hogsback".


Map of operations at Nicholson’s Nek

This party fell in with others on the right and rear faces, and lay down in the firing line. About 11.45 am Captain Silver of the Fusiliers bravely took a half of his company under a very heavy fire to the left brow to replace a company of the Gloucester Regiment. The officer commanding G company of the Fusiliers unfortunately took this movement to be a retirement, and moved back three of his sections. In going back to his other half-company Captain Silver was severely wounded. At noon the officers could see a heliograph on Limit Hill signalling "Retire on Ladysmith as opportunity offers". To attempt that was out of the question.

The attack had slackened a little, and to economise ammunition and to induce the Boers to come to closer quarters, the Fusiliers were told to fix bayonets and somewhat save their fire. "Presently the 'cease fire' was sounded on the left front, but no attention was paid to it, as it was thought to be a ruse by the enemy". Some little time afterwards the Boers were seen to be disarming the Gloucester detachments on the left, and the officers of the Fusiliers now received orders to the effect that the whole force was to surrender. "The whole affair was sprung on us as a complete surprise, and the Fusiliers had so little idea of surrendering that it was some time before the men could be got to cease fire". The casualties of the Fusiliers were 10 men killed, and 3 officers and 54 men wounded.

The Gloucestershire companies lost three times the above number killed, and probably they had the most indefensible position to hold. The white flag was raised by a wounded officer of that regiment who had found himself almost alone in an advanced sangar on the left front. The officer stated "he made this surrender solely with reference to his own small party", but the Boers walked into the position with rifles at the trail, and Colonel Carleton felt himself bound by the white flag.

Rogers was one of those who now found himself to be a Prisoner of War. Initially housed at Waterval on the outskirts of Pretoria. When the Boers evacuated Pretoria they managed to carry off some 900 of their prisoners with them. Rogers was one of these who were taken to Nooitgedacht, in the Eland's Valley, where in the summer months malarial fever was especially prevalent. Life was, however, not all that trying as the following extract from a letter to his mother, by Norman Holden, Irish Yeomanry, written at Nooitgedacht Camp, on July 12th 1900, amply illustrates: -

"We are here in a little valley amongst high hills, and our settlement is surrounded by barbed wire. We are divided up into "messes" of different sizes, mostly formed of fellows who were together most in the campaign, though that was short enough. Our mess is eleven strong, two of whom are colonial scouts, and they do most of the cooking; for the rations are served out uncooked, and you have got to get them cooked some way yourselves. Don't imagine that we are in our mess at any rate, are starving. I will give you to-day's menu so far: - Breakfast: porridge, kippered herrings (tinned), scones, butter and coffee. Lunch: kedgeree, scones, butter and tea. Dinner: that has not come off yet. We do not indulge in afternoon teas."

The Haslingden Guardian, 25.8.1900


Nooitgedacht POW camp

Most prisoners housed at Waterval were liberated soon after Lord Robert’s entered Pretoria. Those at Nooitgedacht had to bide their time a while longer. The Irish Times gave a breakdown of the men of the RIF who were released in September 1900:

A Company 75 men
B Company 78 men
C Company 35 men
D Company 23 men
E Company 74 men
F Company 69 men
G Company 59 men
H Company 62 men

On 21 October 1900 Rogers was invalided home to England, possibly as a result of his ordeal as a Prisoner of War. He returned to South Africa on 16 December 1901 but not before he had blotted his copybook in England. On 7 June 1901 he was sentenced to 14 days Imprisonment with Hard Labour for being absent without leave from 20 May until 7 June 1901. He was released from prison to resume duty on 20 June. He followed this up by being sentenced, on 7 August 1901, to 21 days Imprisonment with Hard Labour, forfeiting 31 days pay in the process, for being absent without leave from 29 June 1901 until 30 July 1901. He was guilty of a third count of AWOL, absenting himself on 13 November until rejoining on the 19th of that month at which time he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion where, as the war drew to a close from January 1902 onwards, they escorted convoys to Bethel and Ermelo, and then sat down in the Ermelo-Carolina blockhouse line until the proclamation of peace on 31 May 1902.

Rogers was one of the very few who were awarded a single-bar (South Africa 1902) to his Kings South Africa Medal – this was as a result of not having been in any theatre of war in 1901.

On 17 October 1902 he returned to the United Kingdom where, on 21 December he was transferred to the Reserve.

Out of uniform Rogers married at some point in time. He returned to live in Dublin and wasn’t far from the action as it were. The Dublin Evening Telegraph of 20 August 1906 carried the sad news of a case in which he, once more, was called to the stand as a witness. William Jennings, an army pensioner, stood accused of murdering his wife after kicking her in the stomach for not having his dinner ready: -

“A terrible tragedy occurred in No. 17 Glorney’s Buildings, of Lower Gloucester Street, on Saturday night. The top front room of the house was occupied by William Jennings, 39, his wife Mary 31, and their four children. About 5 minutes past three yesterday morning, Robert Rogers, who resides in 13 Glorney’s Buildings, reported to the Sergeant on duty at Summerhill Police Station that “something wrong” had happened in the Jennings’ apartment.”


Lower Gloucester Street, Dublin

The Daily Express of July 23, 1908 carried a story which was rather closer to home for Rogers and one which covered a distressing situation. Under “Inquests at the Morgue” the article read: -

“The second case was concerned with the death of an infant named Mary Rogers at Glorney’s Buildings. Robert Rogers, 18 Glorney’s Buildings, father of the child, stated that, with his wife, the deceased, and two other children, he went to bed last night at 10.30.

The Coroner – Five of you in one bed?

The Witness – Yes.

The Witness, continuing, said that early in the morning his wife found the child dead.

The Coroner – Five people are too many in one bed. The Doctor’s evidence will show that the child was smothered. I must say that people who do this kind of thing take a great risk. Dr Maughan, who made the post-mortem examination, stated that death was due to Asphyxia, the result of having been overlain.

The Coroner then called Mrs Rogers and told her that there were too many of them in the bed and advised her to be more careful in the future. A verdict of accidental death was returned.”

Rogers and his wife weathered this particular storm although it is not known if they were able to improve their living conditions.

World War I broke out on 4 August 1914 and, within a matter of days, Rogers had completed attestation papers for 4 Years Service (Special Reservists) with the Army Reserve. Now 40 years and 270 days old he was still a Van Driver by occupation. He confirmed his prior service with the Royal Irish Fusiliers which had terminated on 11 December 1911. Assigned to the 4th Royal Dublin Fusiliers with no. 9355 and the rank of Private, it wasn’t long before he was up to his old tricks – being charged with Desertion on 24 January 1915. He was taken into civil custody on 13 February 1915 and awarded 30 days detention on 24 February. Thereafter he was posted to the British Expeditionary Force in France on 2 May 1915.

Having returned to the United Kingdom he was charged with “When on active service, deserting His Majesty’s Service in that he, at Mullingar, on 7 August 1916, absented himself without leave from the 4th Royal Dublin Fusiliers, till surrendering himself at the Garrison Office, Dublin, on 26 September 1916.”

At some point he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment with whom he sustained a Gun Shot Wound to the right elbow. This was to garner him a 40% disability pension. He then moved on to the Labour Corps before being discharged on 12 April 1919. He earned the normal trio of medals for his service.

But tragedy continued to dog Rogers and may have accounted, at least partially, for his penchant for desertion. On 12 December 1917 his 7 month old daughter, Elizbeth, died from Debility (she was one of a pair of twins). This was followed by the death of his son, Thomas, on 19 May 1918. Also aged 7 months, he had passed away from Chronic Bronchitis.

It is not known when this interesting man passed away – suffice it to say, he had, like many, endured much hardship in his life.