Hi, I'm trying to find out about my uncle. John (Jack) Rogers. His regimental number was 4809889. I know he was captured and taken POW at the Battle of Sejanane in North Africa after the Torch landings. I think, but am not sure he served in the 6th Batallion. The details of this battle are very scarce. Any information would be greatly appreciated. He was interned at Bystrice POW camp in the Czech republic and his prisoner number was 233971. Thanks in anticipation...
He would have served in 6 Lincolns when captured and I have the war diary for this unit. Will post more info tomorrow. He was called up around July - September 1940, after Dunkirk. (My Dad was given Lincoln Service Number 4807943 in early July)
Here is a copy of the Lincoln nominal roll for John Rogers. The year of his Demob date has been obscured. 15 Feb 194?
The Lincolns suffered heavy casualties during the First battle of Sedjanne in Tunisia on 4 March 1943. John became a POW on 6/3/1943, in Italian hands. 6 other ranks from "C" Company were captured on 6 March 1945 and John was a member of "C" Company and might have been one of the six. See copies of the war diaries :-
Thank you so much for all this information. Has no idea he was taken prisoner by the Italians. Do you have any idea at which point he would have been handed over to the Germans as he ended up in the Czech republic.
More likely captured by the Germans and handed over to the Italians. I don't know where and when he ended up. Others in the Forum may advise how to apply to the Red Cross for his records. I hope to find further details when he joined the 6th Battalion in 1940.
Red Cross POW request system For detailed records of your POW father then you would need to contact - Requests for information about people held during the Spanish Civil War or the Second World War: Quarterly limit reached there may be a wait as requests to them are high at the moment but the wait will be worth it. TD Link again - Requests for information about people held during the Spanish Civil War or the Second World War: Quarterly limit reached
Hi Simon, It took a while to find your man. John Rodgers, Service No. 4809889, in fact joined the Lincolns in 1942. He was posted to the 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment from No. 7 Infantry Training Centre on the 13th June 1942 along with 24 new recruits. He then went on 8 days leave on 16th June 1942.
On the 1st January 1943, (John now posted along with "C" Company) left Sunningdale (near Ascot) on train number 519 (see page 3). They left the UK on H.M.T. Sobieski and sailed along with the remainder of the battalion. 6 Lincolns arrived on 17th January 1943 at Algiers.
Tomorrow I'll post a copy of the trip from the UK to Algiers and the actions which led to the capture of John.
Simon, From the History of the 10th Foot, pages 133 to 143, from the departure in the UK in January 1943 up to when John was captured in March 1943 Regards Rob