Graves of lost World War 1 Marines identified in France and Belgium
The hrave of Reginald Clarence Rogers MM (Military Medal), who was born in Kent, has now been marked at Serre Rd No.2 Cemetery, France, whilst Thomas William Brogan, born in Surrey, has been commemorated in a special service at St George’s Memorial Church, Ypres, Belgium.
The service at Serre Road Cemetery No.2 (Crown Copyright)
The lives of two men of the Royal Marine Light Infantry have been commemorated more than a century after their deaths in special services organised by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) War Detectives.
A rededication service was held for Company Sergeant Major (CSM) Reginald Clarence Rogers MM, at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Serre Road No.2 Cemetery, on 22 October 25.
The military party and family of CSM Rogers stand behind his new headstone (Crown Copyright)
Reginald Clarence Rogers MM enlisted with the Royal Marine Light Infantry, Chatham Division, in September 1906. Appointed to the Chatham Division he was promoted to Corporal in March 1911. By the outbreak of war in 1914, he had been promoted to Corporal (Cpl) and had already seen service in India, Gibraltar and Hong Kong.
Following the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914 Rogers was mobilised immediately. He served with the Royal Marine Brigade at Ostende from 26 August - 19 September 1914, at Dunkirk from 20 September - 2 October 1914, and in the defence of Antwerp 3 - 9 October 1914.
He was promoted to Sergeant on 10 October 1914, and to Acting Sergeant-Major in May 1917. In late April 1917 he was awarded the Military Medal (MM), for ‘very good service with the guides in bringing up both the Essex Regiment and the 1/RMLI to the jumping off line’ at Gavrelle. He was killed in action at the crossing of the river Ancre on 26 March 1918.
Reginald was not the only casualty of war in his family – his brother Archibald served with the Royal Garrison Artillery and died of wounds in November 1916. He is buried at Courcelles-au-Bois, less than 5 miles from where Reginald fell.
Reginald was survived by his wife Mabel Grace Annie Mills who he had married in Thanet in early 1915. They had no children. Mabel never remarried and died in Thanet in 1959.
A similar service was planned for 2Lt Brogan at his resting place within the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Poelcapelle British Cemetery, on 23 October 25. However, Storm Benjamin prevented this from going ahead, and instead a service of remembrance was held for him at St George’s Memorial Church instead.
LCpl Ross Budden of the Royal Marines sounds Reveille inside St George's Church, Ypres
Thomas served three years with the Royal Marines, initially as a Private in the Royal Marine Cyclist Company at Gallipoli (May–Aug 1915), before being invalided home with dysentery. From October 1915, he was posted to the Chatham Division, then joined the 3rd Battalion at Mudros, Greece (Dec 1916–Mar 1917). In March 1917, he returned to the UK to receive his officer commission, and in June 1917, embarked for France as a Second Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Marine Light Infantry.
At the beginning of October, the 2nd Battalion began to move into Belgium, arriving in the Nouveau Monde area on 5th October. The next couple of weeks comprised training and parading before orders were received to move up towards Irish Farm – which they reached on 25 October.
The 26 October 1917 was the first day of the Second Battle of Passchendaele – an engagement which lasted until 10 November 1917. At 5.40am on the 26 October the 2nd Battalion RMLI attacked the enemy position opposite their own front lines alongside other battalions making up the 188th Infantry Brigade. Thomas was one of seven officers of the 2nd Bn killed on this day, alongside 301 men of the other ranks. Contemporary news reports tell us that Brogan died leading a platoon of men in the attack.
Members of both men’s families were at the services.
JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said:
I am grateful to the researchers who submitted these cases. Their work has led us to recognise the final resting place of CSM Rogers and of 2Lt Brogan, to restore their names to them and to allow their families to honour their sacrifice. It has been a privilege for me to have contributed to the cases and to have organised the rededication services this week.
The headstones over both graves were replaced by CWGC who will care for them in perpetuity.
Commemorations Case Officer at the CWGC, Polly Brewster, said:
It has been a true privilege to help to commemorate Company Sergeant Major Rogers at his final resting place. Reginald and his brother Archibald, who is buried close by at Courcelles-au-Bois Communal Cemetery, are united once more through their shared personal inscription, selected by their family; a poignant tribute to the two young men’s sacrifices.