Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Paymaster Lieutenant M. Rogers, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (Paymr. Mid. M. Rogers. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine (5) £160-£200

Murray Rogers was born at Medway, Kent, on 29 December 1916, and joined the Navy as a Paymaster Cadet on 1 September 1934; Paymaster Midshipman, 1 September 1935; Paymaster Sub Lieutenant, 1 September 1937; Paymaster Lieutenant, 1 September 1939. He was appointed to H.M.S. Valiant in May 1935; H.M.S. Sussex, November 1937; H.M.S. Woolwich, December 1938; H.M.S. Nile, June 1941; H.M.S. Scott, survey vessel, November 1943. He probably qualified for his Palestine clasp either in Valiant or in Sussex, both of which served in that theatre, or possibly whilst serving in the Commodore’s office in Cairo, February to May 1937.

During his time in the survey vessel Scott from November 1943, the ship carried out surveys in Loch Alsh and the Minches in 1943, and then in Eyjafjordhur in Iceland. In 1944, she surveyed in the Firth of Forth and then during the Normandy landings, followed by ports in Northern France. In 1945, she surveyed Brest in Western France, and then in connection with the minefield on the Sole Bank off the East Coast of England. Afterwards she carried out surveys in the Downs, from Southwold to Winterton, and in the Thames Estuary.

Rogers was discharged to the R.N. Auxiliary Hospital at Lowestoft on 22 October 1945, when it appears that he was due to be court martialled on a count of nine charges of neglect of duty in the Supply Department on board Scott to which he pleaded guilty on 13 December 1945, and was dismissed his ship and severely reprimanded (this severe reprimand was subsequently reduced to a reprimand). His appointment was finally terminated on on 10 April 1946. He died in Paddington, London, in 1964, aged about 47 years.