Able Seaman Thomas William Rogerson Royal Navy
The Man Thomas William Rogerson was born on Saturday 16th April 1887 in Marylebone, London, son of Harry James Rogerson, a Porter and Ellen Sophia nee Angell. He was one of three children, Harry James junior born in 1886, Harriet May 1890 and the family lived at 167 Cleveland Street in Marylebone. On 10th October 1890, aged five, Thomas was Baptised together with his one-month-old sister Harriet at Trinity Church in Marylebone by M C Strickland. Sadly both Thomas’ sister Harriet and their Father Harry died the next year in 1891 aged 7 months and 39 years respectively.
Following his schooling Thomas joined the Railways in April 1900, aged 13, but gave his date of birth as 16th April 1886. He worked at Bristol Station as a Vanguard on a starting salary of 7/- rising to 9/- in 1902. (= 35p and 40p). He resigned from his job in August 1903 now aged 16 as a Porter, as he had already enlisted into the Royal Navy on 5th May as a Boy 2nd Class at Devonport.
On his enlistment Thomas was described as 5’.4” tall with dark brown hair, brown eyes a fresh complexion and with a scar on his forehead ad white spots on his chest. His service number was 230598 and he served in HMS Pembroke I, a 74-gun third rate ship of the line, launched on 27 June 1812 but now used as a base ship possibly for training. This was followed by HMS Northampton a Nelson Class Armoured Cruiser. He was promoted to Boy 1st Class I September 1904 and served in HM Ships Cleopatra, Vivid I and Doris.
On 16th April 1905, his 18th Birthday, Thomas enlisted into the Royal Navy as an Ordinary Seaman for 12 years’ service, which unbeknown to him would include World War I. At the end of his engagement on 15th April 1917 his service was extended to 19th February 1919 and he saw service on many of His Majesty’s Ships including Montagu, President, Blake, Magnificent, Colleen, Blenheim, Grasshopper, Pincher, Victory and Diligence, the census of Sunday 2nd April 1911 showing him aboard HMS Julia (President).
During what was known as the ‘Europe’s Last Summer’ Thomas married Adeline Floretta May Tiddy in Falmouth. They had five children, Doris Catherine May born in 1915, Joan Rosalind Margaret 1926, Elizabeth I 1928, David John 1932 and Ernie who died in infancy.
After the War Thomas was awarded the 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals. His service was extended again and he was eventually pensioned from the Royal Navy on 14th March 1927 aged 40, after 24 years’ service.
Following his schooling Thomas joined the Railways in April 1900, aged 13, but gave his date of birth as 16th April 1886. He worked at Bristol Station as a Vanguard on a starting salary of 7/- rising to 9/- in 1902. (= 35p and 40p). He resigned from his job in August 1903 now aged 16 as a Porter, as he had already enlisted into the Royal Navy on 5th May as a Boy 2nd Class at Devonport.
On his enlistment Thomas was described as 5’.4” tall with dark brown hair, brown eyes a fresh complexion and with a scar on his forehead ad white spots on his chest. His service number was 230598 and he served in HMS Pembroke I, a 74-gun third rate ship of the line, launched on 27 June 1812 but now used as a base ship possibly for training. This was followed by HMS Northampton a Nelson Class Armoured Cruiser. He was promoted to Boy 1st Class I September 1904 and served in HM Ships Cleopatra, Vivid I and Doris.
On 16th April 1905, his 18th Birthday, Thomas enlisted into the Royal Navy as an Ordinary Seaman for 12 years’ service, which unbeknown to him would include World War I. At the end of his engagement on 15th April 1917 his service was extended to 19th February 1919 and he saw service on many of His Majesty’s Ships including Montagu, President, Blake, Magnificent, Colleen, Blenheim, Grasshopper, Pincher, Victory and Diligence, the census of Sunday 2nd April 1911 showing him aboard HMS Julia (President).
During what was known as the ‘Europe’s Last Summer’ Thomas married Adeline Floretta May Tiddy in Falmouth. They had five children, Doris Catherine May born in 1915, Joan Rosalind Margaret 1926, Elizabeth I 1928, David John 1932 and Ernie who died in infancy.
After the War Thomas was awarded the 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals. His service was extended again and he was eventually pensioned from the Royal Navy on 14th March 1927 aged 40, after 24 years’ service.
Thomas did not have many years to enjoy his pension as he re-enlisted into the RN in about 1933 as an Able Seaman (Pensioner). On 31st July 1939 he was posted to HMS Courageous which had been the lead ship of her class of three battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War but refitted as an aircraft carrier during the 1920s. On 31st August 1939, with another War now inevitable, Courageous went to her war station at Portland and embarked two squadrons of Swordfish. Three days later on 3rd September the United Kingdom declared War on Germany.
Courageous departed Plymouth on the evening of 3 September 1939 for an anti-submarine patrol in the Western Approaches, escorted by four destroyers. On the evening of 17 September 1939, she was on one such patrol off the coast of Ireland. Two of her four escorting destroyers had been sent to help a merchant ship under attack and all her aircraft had returned from patrols. During this time, Courageous was stalked for over two hours by U-29, commanded by Captain-Lieutenant Otto Schuhart. The carrier then turned into the wind to launch her aircraft. This put the ship right across the bow of the submarine, which fired three torpedoes. Two of the torpedoes struck the ship on her port side before any aircraft took off, knocking out all electrical power, and she capsized and sank in 20 minutes with the loss of 519 of her crew, including her captain. The survivors were rescued by the Dutch ocean liner Veendam and the British freighter Collingworth. The two escorting destroyers counterattacked U-29 for four hours, but the submarine escaped.
Sadly Thomas was one of the 519 crew who lost their lives just 14 days after the start of the war, having survived World War I and after nearly 30 years’ service. He was aged 53. The 1939 census taken a few days later shows Adeline, who was a Volunteer ARP Warden, living with David and Joan at 65 St David’s Crescent in Bristol. She suffered another traumatic blow when her daughter Joan died in 1943 aged just 17.
Thomas who has no known grave is commemorated on Panel 33, Column 3 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial and was posthumoiusly awarded the 1939-45 Star and War Medal 1939-45.
Adeline lived another 30 years and passed away in the first quarter of 1969 in Sudbury aged 86. Thomas’s Mother Ellen died in 1946 aged 88, his brother Harry was still alive in 1939 and his surviving children David, died in 2004 aged 74, Doris 2008 aged 93 and Elizabeth 2010 aged 82.
Courageous departed Plymouth on the evening of 3 September 1939 for an anti-submarine patrol in the Western Approaches, escorted by four destroyers. On the evening of 17 September 1939, she was on one such patrol off the coast of Ireland. Two of her four escorting destroyers had been sent to help a merchant ship under attack and all her aircraft had returned from patrols. During this time, Courageous was stalked for over two hours by U-29, commanded by Captain-Lieutenant Otto Schuhart. The carrier then turned into the wind to launch her aircraft. This put the ship right across the bow of the submarine, which fired three torpedoes. Two of the torpedoes struck the ship on her port side before any aircraft took off, knocking out all electrical power, and she capsized and sank in 20 minutes with the loss of 519 of her crew, including her captain. The survivors were rescued by the Dutch ocean liner Veendam and the British freighter Collingworth. The two escorting destroyers counterattacked U-29 for four hours, but the submarine escaped.
Sadly Thomas was one of the 519 crew who lost their lives just 14 days after the start of the war, having survived World War I and after nearly 30 years’ service. He was aged 53. The 1939 census taken a few days later shows Adeline, who was a Volunteer ARP Warden, living with David and Joan at 65 St David’s Crescent in Bristol. She suffered another traumatic blow when her daughter Joan died in 1943 aged just 17.
Thomas who has no known grave is commemorated on Panel 33, Column 3 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial and was posthumoiusly awarded the 1939-45 Star and War Medal 1939-45.
Adeline lived another 30 years and passed away in the first quarter of 1969 in Sudbury aged 86. Thomas’s Mother Ellen died in 1946 aged 88, his brother Harry was still alive in 1939 and his surviving children David, died in 2004 aged 74, Doris 2008 aged 93 and Elizabeth 2010 aged 82.
This page last updated 12 Jun 21