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209490
Alfred Ernest Rogers
British Army South Staffordshire Regiment
from:Wednesbury.
My Dad, Ernie Rogers, served with the 1st Airborne (South Staffs). He only really talked about the war in the later years, I tried to persuade him to tell his story but he said there were enough books written and films made.
After North Africa, he was captured at the invasion of Sicily after the glider landed in the sea, which they clung onto for 17 hours before being picked up by the Italians. He tells me that his sergeant told all the men to take their boots of when they went into the water, but Dad didn't, then when they were lined up by the Italians he gave his sergeant his boots, as he was the senior officer and felt it would help the sergeant to keep his dignity. After the many camps and miles he ended up in Stalag XV111A, I have his wrist band and some photographs.
He talks about some of his old mates but gets mixed up a bit now, Ray Shorthouse, Lucky Southall, Ivor from Newzealand. He ended up working on a farm, learned a lot of German which helped a lot.
He is still an old soldier at heart and as always kept his sense of humour.