William Martin "Willie" Rogers (15 April 1893 – 22 September 1918) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League. He spent the 1913 season at Carlton before moving to the Victorian Football Association (VFA) side Brunswick in 1914.
| Bill Rogers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | William Martin Rogers | ||
| Nickname(s) | "Willie" | ||
| Date of birth | 15 April 1893 | ||
| Place of birth | Woolamai, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 22 September 1918 (aged 25) | ||
| Place of death | Rouen, France | ||
| Original team(s) | Wonthaggi / Carlton District | ||
| Height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Follower | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1913 | Carlton | 3 (0) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1913. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
He died of wounds sustained in action in World War I.
Family edit
The son of John Rogers (-1909),[1] and Mary Rogers (1856-1924),[2] née Fitzgerald, William Martin Rogers was born at Woolamai, Victoria on 15 April 1893.
Football edit
Carlton (VFL) edit
In addition to the three senior games he played with the Carlton First XVIII, he also played a number of games for "Carlton District" in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA) in 1913.[3]
Brunswick (VFA) edit
Rogers was granted a clearance from Carlton to Brunswick on 22 April 1914.[4] However, there's no evidence that he ever played in a match for either the Brunswick First XVIII or its associated "Junior" team.[5]
Military service edit
He enlisted in the First AIF on 26 February 1916, and served overseas with the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion.
He was wounded in action, in France, on 12 October 1917.[6]
He returned to active duty in France in June 1918,[7] and was wounded in action, for a second time, on 18 September 1918.
Death edit
Unconscious on admission, and failing to regain consciousness, he died of the gunshot wounds he had sustained in active service on 22 September 1918.[8][9]
See also edit
Footnotes edit
- ^ News in Brief, The Ballarat Star, Monday, 13 September 1909), p.4.
- ^ Deaths: Rogers, The Argus, (Monday, 22 September 1924), p.1.
- ^ The Juniors, The Herald, (Friday, 22 August 1913), p.4.
- ^ Football: Permit Applications, The Argus, (Thursday, 23 April 1914), p.12.
- ^ Given that Rogers' service record clearly indicates that he was in France in August 1917, it is obvious that the "W. Rogers" that kicked 3 goals for the "Brunswick Juniors" on 11 August 1917 ([1]) is a completely different individual.
- ^ Australian Casualties: List No.374: Wounded, The Argus, (Monday, 24 December 1917), p.5.
- ^ On his return to active duty he was issued identity tag number 113A, which explain why some of his later records show his regimental number as "113A", rather than the original "113".
- ^ Died on Service: Rogers, The Argus, (Tuesday, 1 October 1918), p.1; Died on Service: Rogers, The Argus, (Friday, 4 October 1918), p.1.
- ^ Victorian Casualties, List No.442: Died of Wounds, The Argus, (Tuesday, 19 November 1918), p.7.
References edit
- Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
- De Bolto, Tony, "Willie Rogers remembered . . . lest we forget", Blueseum, 22 April 2008.
- The AIF Project: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113), UNSW Canberra.
- First World War Nominal Roll: Lance Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), Australian War Memorial.
- First World War Embarkation Roll: Private William Martin Rogers (113), Australian War Memorial.
- World War One Service Record: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), National Archives of Australia.
- Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau files: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), Australian War Memorial.
- Roll of Honour: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), Australian War Memorial.
External links edit
- Bill Rogers's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Blueseum profile: Willie Rogers