Maurice Albert Windham Rogers
| Maurice Albert Wyndham Rogers | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Shake |
| Born |
17 July 1919 Bristol, Gloucestershire, England |
| Died | 3 June 1944 (aged 24) Ardea, Italy |
| Buried | Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | Wiltshire Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Victoria Cross Military Medal |
Maurice Albert Wyndham Rogers, VC, MM (17 July 1919 – 3 June 1944) was a British Army soldier of the Second World War and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Rogers was 24 years old, and a sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's), British Army, during the Battle of Anzio when the following deed took place, at Ardea, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
The citation in the London Gazette of 8 August 1944, gives the following details:
In Italy, a battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment was ordered to attack high ground held by the enemy.
The leading Company had taken their first objective but were unable to reach their final objective, owing to heavy enemy fire and casualties. The Carrier Platoon, dismounted, were ordered to capture the final objective, supported by fire from the Company and a troop of tanks.
The objective was wired and mined and strongly defended by the enemy. The Carrier Platoon advanced through machine-gun and mortar fire until they reached the enemy's wire, which was 70 yards from their objective. At this point the Platoon was under the intense fire of seven machine-guns firing at ranges of from 50 to 100 yards, and sustained a number of casualties. The Platoon, checked (by the enemy's wire and the intensity of his machine-gun fire, took cover and returned the fire preparatory to gapping the wire. Sergeant Rogers, the Platoon Sergeant, without hesitation continued to advance alone, firing his Thompson Sub-Machine Gun. He got through the enemy's wire, ran across the minefield and destroyed two of the enemy machine-gun posts with his Thompson Sub-Machine Gun and hand grenades. By now, Sergeant Rogers was 100 yards ahead of his Platoon and had penetrated 30 yards inside the enemy's defences.
He had drawn on to himself the fire of nearly all the enemy's machine-guns and had thrown their, defence into confusion.
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