Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

Sydney George Rogerson, , (14 May 1915 – 23 September 1993), was a British Army soldier. He was awarded the

George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...

for his heroics on 2 January 1946, after an explosion at Savernake Forest in Wiltshire.

Biography

Sydney George Rogerson was born 14 May 1915. He was a British Army soldier who achieved the rank of

staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

. Rogerson was awarded the

for the "most conspicuous gallantry" he showed on 2 January 1946 when a massive explosion wrecked 27

railway wagons A railroad car, railcar ( American and Canadian English), railway wagon, railway carriage, railway truck, railwagon, railcarriage or railtruck (British English and UIC), also called a train car, train wagon, train carriage or train truck, is ...

and two lorries being loaded with munitions at Savernake Forest in Wiltshire. He showed "great courage and calmness" in taking control of the situation and rescued two severely injured men from beneath a burning lorry carrying a full load of shells. He died 23 September 1993.

Legacy

The Royal Army Ordnance Corps Museum at the Princess Royal Barracks in

Deepcut Deepcut is a village in the Borough of Surrey Heath in Surrey, England, approximately southwest of central London. The nearest towns are Camberley, Surrey ( to the north) and Farnborough, Hampshire (3 mi to the west). Deepcut is named af ...

purchased Rogerson's medal where it is now on display. It was the only such medal awarded to a

non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

in the Corps.http://www.hlf.org.uk/NHMFWeb/Database/datapage2.html?projectid=763

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogerson, Sidney George 1915 births 1993 deaths People from Croydon Royal Army Ordnance Corps soldiers British recipients of the George Cross British Army personnel of World War II

Biography

Legacy

See also

References