liverpool annie Posted 4 July , 2009 Share Posted 4 July , 2009 Is the Reverend Canon Guy Rogers, M.C., B.D. who took part in the Queens Coronation the same as the Rev. Captain Guy Rogers who wrote this ? can anybody tell me anything about him please ? The lot of a Chaplain was an extremely difficult one, the Rev. Captain Guy Rogers wrote of his most harrowing ordeal in attending to a condemned soldier. ‘31st May 1916. Shall I tell you of the terrible experience I have just gone through (if so it must not go beyond the family circle of yourself). It has just fallen my lot to prepare a deserter for his death, that means breaking the news to him, helping him with his last letters, passing he night with him on the straw in his cell, and trying to prepare his soul for meeting God: the execution and burying him immediately. The shadow was just hanging over me when I wrote the last letter but I tried to keep it out. Monday night I was with him, Tuesday morning at 3.30 he was shot. He lay beside me for hours with his hand in mine. Poor fellow, it was a bad case, but he met his end bravely, and drank in all I could teach him about God, his father, Jesus his saviour, and the reality of the forgiveness of sins. I feel a bit shaken by it all, but my nerves, thank God, have not troubled me. Everyone has been so kind who knew of the ordeal. I will tell you more some other time. I want to get off it and away from the thought of it as much as I can. http://www.joeoloughlin.co.uk/?p=134 http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/40...s/6238/page.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrim Posted 5 July , 2009 Share Posted 5 July , 2009 Annie, I googled "captain Guy Rogers"wwi and the only thing new I found was: Page 11; The Times (London, England), 1 Jan 1788-30 Dec 1820 ... V of IwfilliULC' th* fire a* hr| . pnanbl& j Th wnwupliM wwi at. ..... Arthur attended by a brother omVer* Captain Guy Rogers, as and IW Bamankii Horn**; ... www.footnote.com/document/31154016_All%5Enewspapers/ This brought up a reference to: Location: All Titles » Newspapers » News - London Times » 1918 » December » 20-Dec-1918 » Page 11 Since it's a PremiumDocument at The Times I couldn't go any further. Perhaps one of the members who has access would check it out for you. Good luck! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Evans Posted 5 July , 2009 Share Posted 5 July , 2009 Hello Annie, Your chief researcher calling It looks like you are after Travers Guy Rogers, or at least, that's the only one I can find so far. At the moment I'm working through 20 hits in the Times, 1914 to 1922, including a Court Circular referring to his stay at Windsor, August 1917. I haven't got to Bob's yet. I'll e-mail his MIC over sometime soon. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrim Posted 5 July , 2009 Share Posted 5 July , 2009 Annie, I found some more information on google. Under Canon Guy Rogers: 1. Stamford University has letters he wrote to Ursula Roberts 1949-1967 She was an antiwar activist, social libertarian, etc. writing under the name of Susan Miles. 2. He was in West Ham in 1921 and was at the coronation of King George VI on 12th May 1937 Canon Guy Rogers formerly Vicar of West Ham who was one of the King's Chaplains who formed a guard of honour in the Abbey. 3. St Martin in the Bull Ring in Birmingham, England is a parish church in the Church of England. Canon Guy Rogers is in the list of clergy serving from 1924-1948 He appears to have been very influential in the Church of England and supported many liberal causes which would go along with his experience with the execution. At one time he was considered for an Archbishopric in Australia according to one of their papers. There's no smoking gun to prove he's the Captain but it's hard to imagine he isn't the same man. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Evans Posted 5 July , 2009 Share Posted 5 July , 2009 There's very little military info in the Times, but......... Times, 20th Oct 1915, page 3: "The Rev. T Guy Rogers has resigned the vicarage of St Johns, Reading, in order to accept a Chaplaincy at the Front" He also had a strong affinity with the YMCA, which continued after the war. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Evans Posted 5 July , 2009 Share Posted 5 July , 2009 You'll find four hits for him in the London Gazette, searching "Travers Guy Rogers", including his MC citation in Issue 29824, Page 11065. (14th November 1916) "The Rev. Travers Guy Rogers, Guards Brigade. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action. He worked ceaselessly all night under fire, tending and carrying in the wounded. On another occasion, he has done similar fine work under heavy fire." He appears to have left the Front by late 1917, when he is appointed temporary Chaplain to the Essex Volunteer Regiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liverpool annie Posted 6 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 6 July , 2009 Thank you both very much ! Now I have read through this stuff and inwardly digest ! He was at two Coronations then ? .... interesting man and philosophies I think !! Thanks again ! Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audax Posted 25 August , 2009 Share Posted 25 August , 2009 Hi Annie, Canon Travers Guy Rogers BA MC served as a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces 1915 - 16. He published his autobiography in 1956. 'A Rebel at Heart : The Autobiography of a Non Conforming Churchman' by Guy Rogers (London; Longmans, Green and Company) The Chapter 'A Chaplain in the First World War' contains a version of the story from the head of this thread. Rogers was an Anglican chaplain attached to the 2nd Guards Brigade: 3rd Bn, the Grenadier Guards joined 19 August 1915 1st Bn, the Coldstream Guards joined 25 August 1915 1st Bn, the Scots Guards joined 25 August 1915 2nd Bn, the Irish Guards joined 17 August 1915, left 8 February 1918 2nd Guards Brigade Machine Gun Company formed by 19 September 1915 left to move into 4th Bn Guards MG Regiment 1 March 1918 2nd Guards Trench Mortar Battery formed in April 1916 He was a Friend of Rev Fr S S Knapp DSO MC. who was the Chaplain to 2nd Battalion Irish Guards. (Kipling's 'The Irish Guards in the Great War : The Second Battalion). Rogers' Senior Chaplain in the Brigade was Rev W P (Pat) G McCormick DSO (TCF 1914 - 19) Audax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liverpool annie Posted 25 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 25 August , 2009 Thanks Audax ... I've been trying to get a copy of the book ... no luck yet ... but I'll keep trying !! Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 25 August , 2009 Share Posted 25 August , 2009 Annie, There is a biography of him available on Ancestry in their section on Crockfords Clerical Directories for 1932. It is quite difficult to read due to there being lots of abbreviations, but you may find it interesting. Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liverpool annie Posted 26 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 26 August , 2009 Thank you Alf ! ... I don't have Ancestry right now ... but I'll see if I can get a copy of it !! Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattgibbs Posted 14 October , 2009 Share Posted 14 October , 2009 Rogers, Canon Travers Guy Trinity College Dublin BA (Sen.Mod.) 1898 Divinity Test 1st Class 1900 1st Theological Exhib. B.D 1901 Deacon 1900 Priest 1901 Dublin, Church of St Matthais 1900-1902, Monkstown Dublin 1902-03, St Barnabas Kensington 1903-06, Holy Trinity Marylebone 1906-09, Vicar of St John the Evangelist with St Stephens Reading, 1909-15. Temporary Chaplain to the Forces 1915-1916, Vicar and Rural Dean of West Ham 1917-25. Military Cross 1916 Chaplain to HM King 1938 This is from my 1948 copy of Crockford's which lists all his post 1925 appointments as well, up to his appointment of Honourary Canon of Birmingham in 1925. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liverpool annie Posted 14 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 14 October , 2009 Thanks Matt ! He's a fascinating personality ..... I believe his involvement with the condemned soldier brought about a big change in his life ! Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beresford69 Posted 18 January , 2012 Share Posted 18 January , 2012 Annie, That is a truly heartbreaking recollection. I was blown away to read this posting about Canon Guy Rogers last night, not least because I have recently been researching the story of one of the 'Shot at Dawn' soldiers. But that's not all. I had been meaning to google Canon Rogers for some time. For though I know very little about him, he was I believe a mentor and major influence on my Father. My Dad was a curate at St Martin of the Bull Ring Church in Birmingham from 1938 to 1940, at the time that Canon Rogers was there. Dad then joined the Army as a Padre and was captured in Crete in 1941. He spent the next four years as a POW during which time he kept a diary (31 of them to be precise - about a million words in total - which I only read thoroughly for the first time about six years ago) My Father died in 1979. There are many mentions of Canon Rogers in the diaries and he not only corresponded regularly with 'Guy' but also his wife and daughter. There is definitely a sense that he learned a lot from the older man and there was obviously an immense respect. There is even a story that his letters to Guy Rogers contained coded messages and that my Father was in some way passing on intelligence! The person who told me that is now dead. But I've always wanted to find out more about Canon Rogers, hence last night's google search. I was amazed when your post came up... I had heard vaguely something about him being 'Chaplain to The King' but there is certainly no mention of anything about that in the diaries. I would be very interested to hear if you have found an obituary. The Imperial War Museum hold a copy of his autobiography, so I will try to see that. I would love to know more about him - he sounds like a good man. By the way, there is a photograph of him in The National Portrait gallery collection which you can access online. Very best wishes, Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartensabien Posted 20 April , 2013 Share Posted 20 April , 2013 I'm trying to underdstand and translate (in Dutch) this line from the text above: The shadow was just hanging over me when I wrote the last letter but I tried to keep it out. What does the Rev. mean with this line ? best regards Bart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnumbellum Posted 23 April , 2013 Share Posted 23 April , 2013 I'm trying to underdstand and translate (in Dutch) this line from the text above: The shadow was just hanging over me when I wrote the last letter but I tried to keep it out. What does the Rev. mean with this line ? I think by "shadow", Guy Rogers meant the shadow of impending death, making him sorrowful and mournful, but he tried not to communicate the feeling to the poor condemned man, whom he wanted to keep as composed as possible in the circumstances. I have not previously read an account of a chaplain keeping vigil with a condemned soldier, but I have read an account of a soldier who was ordered to act as overnight guard of one of the condemned, and the mood was similar. Such accounts should be compulsory reading for anyone calling for the death penalty - all those involved in an execution themselves suffer alongside the condemned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnumbellum Posted 23 April , 2013 Share Posted 23 April , 2013 That is a truly heartbreaking recollection. I was blown away to read this posting about Canon Guy Rogers last night, not least because I have recently been researching the story of one of the 'Shot at Dawn' soldiers. But that's not all. I had been meaning to google Canon Rogers for some time. For though I know very little about him, he was I believe a mentor and major influence on my Father. My Dad was a curate at St Martin of the Bull Ring Church in Birmingham from 1938 to 1940, at the time that Canon Rogers was there. Dad then joined the Army as a Padre and was captured in Crete in 1941. He spent the next four years as a POW during which time he kept a diary (31 of them to be precise - about a million words in total - which I only read thoroughly for the first time about six years ago) My Father died in 1979. There are many mentions of Canon Rogers in the diaries and he not only corresponded regularly with 'Guy' but also his wife and daughter. There is definitely a sense that he learned a lot from the older man and there was obviously an immense respect. There is even a story that his letters to Guy Rogers contained coded messages and that my Father was in some way passing on intelligence! The person who told me that is now dead. But I've always wanted to find out more about Canon Rogers, hence last night's google search. I was amazed when your post came up... I had heard vaguely something about him being 'Chaplain to The King' but there is certainly no mention of anything about that in the diaries. I would be very interested to hear if you have found an obituary. The Imperial War Museum hold a copy of his autobiography, so I will try to see that. I would love to know more about him - he sounds like a good man. By the way, there is a photograph of him in The National Portrait gallery collection which you can access online. The name of the Church is "St Martin's-in-the-Bull Ring". It is the original parish church of Birmingham (although the present building is mainly a Victorian reconstruction). As Vicar of Birmingham, and an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral, Guy Rogers played a prominent part in city life in the 1930s and 1940s. He would certainly have had an obituary in The Birmingham Post, but it would be necessary to find his date of death to know the period to search. There is likely to be material about him in Birmingham Reference Library. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartensabien Posted 24 April , 2013 Share Posted 24 April , 2013 Thank you very much Cpt Magnumbellum :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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