Lieutenant John Vercoe-Rogers, husband of Susie, Birch River, Manitoba (later moved to Cornwall, England). They had 1 boy, 2 girls, John James (7), May Seaborn (9), and Gertrude Gwendoline (18 months). John a lumberman, father Thomas Rogers of Cornwall, England.
Enlistment of Private John Vercoe-Rogers
John enlisted 9 May 1916 at Winnipeg, Manitoba with the 100th Overseas Battalion. Private John Vercoe-Rogers stood 5′ 9″ tall with fair complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair, aged 31.
Private Vercoe-Rogers admitted to hospital with Mumps, Camp Hughes, 28 May 1916, later discharged 8 July 1916. Hydrocele, Camp Hughes, 27 July 1916, later discharged 30 August 1916.
100th Overseas Battalion
Organized in November 1915 initially under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J B Mitchell. Mobilized at Winnipeg, and also recruited in Winnipeg. Embarked from Halifax 19 September 1916 aboard OLYMPIC, later disembarked England 25 September 1917 with a strength of 31 officers, 880 other ranks. Drafts of 150 to 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles and 50 to 78th Battalion in November 1916.
Bramshott Camp
Hernia, right testicle removed (painful and swollen), Military Hospital, Bramshott, 18 October 1916, later discharged 25 November 1916.
11th Canadian Reserve Battalion
Private John Vercoe-Rogers ToS 11th Reserve Battalion, 2 January 1917. Pte Vercoe-Rogers transferred to 78th Battalion to proceed overseas, 9 March 1917.
78th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers)
78th Battalion organized in July 1915 initially under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J B Mitchell, soon succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel James Kirkcaldy. Mobilized at Winnipeg, and also recruited in Winnipeg district.
Draft of 5 officers and 250 other ranks sent to England on 25 September 1915. Embarked from Halifax 22 May 1916 aboard EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, and later disembarked in England on 29 May 1916 with a strength of 37 officers, 1097 other ranks and later disembarked in France 12 August 1916 with the 4th Canadian Division, 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade, and later reinforced by 11th Canadian Reserve Battalion and, after 5 September 1918, also by 18th Canadian Reserve Battalion.
Private John Vercoe-Rogers joined the 78th Battalion in the field on 13 April 1917 at VANCOUVER CAMP – Chateau de la Haie, having just missed the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Battle of Vimy Ridge
Pte John Vercoe-Rogers attached to the 4th Entrenching Battalion, 3 July 1917.
John Vercoe-Rogers appointed Lance Corporal, Field, 25 August 1917. Lance Corporal John Vercoe-Rogers confirmed in rank of Corporal, 27 October 1917.
Corporal John Vercoe-Rogers appointed Lance Sergeant, L/Sgt S J Sellar wounded, 17 November 1917.
Trench fever, 11 December 1917, No 11 CFA, later discharged on 24 December 1917. Lance Sergeant John Vercoe-Rogers rejoined unit 28 December 1917.
OTC, Bexhill
Sergeant John Vercoe-Rogers granted 14 days leave to UK, 5 January 1918. Proceeded to England with a view to being granted a Commission and posted to Manitoba Regimental Depot, Shorncliffe.
Granted furlough, 5 February to 19 February 1918. Attached to 1st CCD, 13 February 1918.
Fractured nose, No 11 Canadian General Hospital, 16 March 1918, later discharged 28 March 1918. John had bashed his nose against another man’s head during Physical Training, 15 March 1918.
Lieutenant John Vercoe-Rogers On Command to Tank Battalion, Frensham Pond, Seaford, 29 June 1918.
John cease’s Officer’s Training Course at Bexhill, 6 July 1918.
Return to France
Lieutenant John Vercoe-Rogers SoS on proceeding overseas to 78th Battalion, 16 September 1918, later joining unit in the field with 15 other fresh officers, 22 September. Open warfare tactics training on 23 September 1918.
Battle of Canal du Nord
27 September 1918, zero hour 5h20, Brigade HQ at 57c.E.10.b.20.80, well forward of Inchy-en-Artois, close to the canal. Four tanks of the 7th Tank Battalion attached to the Brigade.
The right section of the battalion suffered high casualties from artillery and machine gun fire coming from the high ground in front of Bourlon Wood. Lt John Vercoe-Rogers’s tank likely struck by an anti-tank rifle, causing devastating injuries by spalling, or by a high velocity shell.
Spalling
Spalling the fragmentation of the target caused by the impact of the projectile, not fragmentation of the projectile itself. Not caused by the bullet penetrating the target, but the target deforming in a way that allows the rear of the target to fragment. Metal splinters of the inside wall of the tank scatter, killing or wounding all occupants.
Note in the image below, only three tanks of the 7th Tank Battalion survived the actions of 27 September 1918.
Lieutenant John Vercoe-Rogers killed in action, 27 September 1918 while taking Bourlon Wood.
John’s wife Susie and children living with a Mrs Rundle in Cornwall, England at this time. Photo of his grave sent to next of kin on 15 December 1921.
Victoria Cross recipients
Three Victoria Cross recipients of the Canadian Corps during the Battle of Canal du Nord, including one Winnipeg Grenadier.
Lt Graham Thomson Lyall
102nd Battalion, 4th Canadian Infantry Division
Lyall led his platoon in the capture of a strong-point, together with 13 POWs, one field-gun and four machine-guns. Later, led his men against another strong-point as he rushed forward alone and captured the position single-handed, taking another 45 prisoners and five machine-guns. The completion of his final objective resulted in the capture of an additional 41 prisoners. Not yet finished, on 1st October in the neighbourhood of Blecourt, he captured a strongly defended position which yielded 60 POWs and another 17 machine-guns. Finally, during both these operations, on attaining his objectives, Lieutenant Lyall tended the wounded under fire.
Lt Samuel L. Honey DCM, MM
78th Battalion, 4th Canadian Infantry Division
By noon on 27 September 1918, almost all of Honey’s senior commanding officers struck by enemy fire and Honey forced to take charge of the 78th Battalion. He rallied the troops and single-handedly rushed an enemy machine-gun nest so that they could attain their final objective. Honey spent the next few days and nights tirelessly repulsing enemy counterattacks.
Lt Graham Fraser Kerr MC, MM
3rd Battalion, 1st Canadian Infantry Division
For most conspicuous bravery during the Bourlon Wood operations on 27th September 1918, when in command of the left support company in attack. He handled his company with great skill and gave timely support when outflanking a machine-gun which was impeding the advance. Later, near the Arras-Cambrai Road, the advance was again held up by a strong point. Lieut. Kerr, far in advance of his company, he rushed the strong point single-handed and captured four machine-guns and thirty-one prisoners. His valour throughout this engagement was an inspiring example to all.
Victoria Cross Citation
Quarry Wood Cemetery
Sains-les-Marquion a village approximately 12 kilometres north-west of Cambrai and 2 kilometres south of the Arras to Cambrai road (D939). Quarry Wood Cemetery made by the 102nd Canadian Battalion in October 1918.
Over 250 Great War casualties commemorated in this site, including 207 identified Canadian soldiers. Of these, a small number are unidentified and a special memorial is erected to one Canadian Officer believed to be buried among them. The cemetery covers an area of 1,249 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.
More
Please subscribe to CEFRG to be notified by email when there are new posts. Subscription is free, and your email kept confidential.