Walter Rogan
Militia and Embodied Service, 3rd Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 4 December 1899-3 December 1905, including service in Malta 19 June 1901-7 March 1902 (Medal: Mediterranean).
1911 (Retford): labourer, iron foundry
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Walter was the son of William and Mary Ann Rogan (née Hurlihy).
William Rogan was born in Belfast, Ireland, but came to England where he met and married Mary Ann Hurlihy, who had been born in Cork, Ireland. Their marriage was conducted in Colchester, Essex, in 1872.
William was a boot maker by trade and made several moves after his marriage to Canterbury and Woolwich before moving north to Hull and then, finally, to Doncaster. He and Mary had six children, William (1872) born Colchester, Edward (1873) and Thomas (1876) born Canterbury, Walter (1881) born Hull, and Sarah Ann (1886) and John Patrick (1888) who were born in Doncaster.
William senior died in 1900 at the age of 56. In 1901 his widow, Mary Ann, who was living in Milner’s Yard, Doncaster, was earning a wage as a potato sorter. The older children, including Walter, had left home and Walter married Sarah Jane Hartley (a Retford girl) in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, in 1902 (AMJ).
His wife Sarah Jane (b. 1884) was the daughter of William Hartley and his wife Ann (née Lane m. 1873 Retford), one of nine children, including a sister who had died in young adulthood.
Walter and Sarah had six children, one of whom died in infancy. All the children were born in Retford (reg. Rogan/Hartley): William [12 Aug] 1904, Mabel 1907, Albert Edward 1908, George C [Cornelius] 1911, Walter 1914 d. 1914, and Walter who was born on 20 January 1916 and baptised on 27 Jan 1916 . Walter's baptismal record gave his parents as Walter Cornelius Rogan, soldier, and Sarah Jane Rogan, of 39 Beardsall’s Row.
The couple settled down in Retford and at the time of the 1911 Census were living at 39 Beardsall Row with their three children, William, Mabel and Albert. Walter had secured a job as labourer at the local iron foundry. Their third son, George, was born later that year. Walter was born three years later but died in infancy, then in 1916 they had another son, who was also named Walter, and was born some months after his father's death on the Western Front.
Sarah had four more children: Harry b. 1918, Freda b. 1921, Wilfred b. 1923 d. 1928 and Doreen b. 1927 (JFM) d. 1927 (AMJ); births registered Retford, surname Rogan, mother's maiden name Hartley.
Sarah was recorded at 39 Beardsall's Row on the 1921 Census. In the home on the night of the census were William ('father dead') a miner/pony driver at Manton Colliery, Mabel ('father dead'), Albert Edward ('father dead'), Walter ('father dead'), Harry ('both [parents] alive') and Freda ('both [parents] alive'). Her son George (b. 1911) has not yet been traced on the 1921 Census, but his marriage was recorded in Doncaster in 1934 (JFM, Ena Cooper).
Sarah Rogan continued to live at 39 Beardsall's Row and she and her eldest son William were listed at that address on the 1926 Electoral Roll. Her daughter Doreen was born the following year (JFM) and died shortly after birth (AMJ). Sarah Jane also died in 1927 (AMJ) age 42.
There is a Militia record for Walter who enlisted in the 3rd Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (7317 Private) on 4 December 1899: Walter Rogan age 18y 10m (b. Hull 1881), single, present residence Doncaster, occupation labourer, employer J Graham paint works Doncaster. No next of kin given. Service 4 December 1899-3 December 1905. Embodied 5 May 1900 Disembodied 17 October 1900. Embodied 6 May 1901 Disembodied 8 March 1902. Paid Special War Gratuity 9 April 1902. Present. 1903, 1904, 1905. Served Malta 19 June 1901-7 March 1902 (Medal: Mediterranean). Discharged 3 December 1905 on termination of engagement.
Walter enlisted at Retford in the 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters. He disembarked France on 29 December 1915 and was killed in action on 14 February 1916. He is buried in Spoilbank Cemetery, Belgium (grave ref. I. K. 16).
Walter qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC: Spoilbank Cemetery is 5 km south of Ieper [Ypres]. 'Spoilbank Cemetery (also known as Chester Farm Lower Cemetery or Gordon Terrace Cemetery) was begun in February 1915, and used by troops holding this sector until March 1918. It is particularly associated with the casualties of the 2nd Suffolks on "The Bluff" early in 1916. It was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of Ypres.' (www.cwgc.org)
Research by Colin Dannatt. Updates to family/military histories RF
Retford & Worksop Herald & North Notts Advertiser, 15 September 1914.: ‘Messrs Jenkins and CG’s Roll of Honour. Exhibited in Messrs W Loseby and Sons’ window is a well-designed roll of honour, bearing the names of those employees who have volunteered in various capacities to fight for their country. The scroll has been designed in the offices of the firm and is distinctly creditable to the artist, Mr Jack Kelsall. The names are as follows … Walter Rogan.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
Retford Times, 21 April 1916: 'Lance Sergt Walter Rogan. Mrs Rogan, 89 Beardsall Row, Retford, has received a letter of sympathy from the Rev J Thwaites Mumford, Vicar of East Retford and now Chaplain at Alexandria in reference to the death of her husband, Lance Sergt Walter Rogan of the Sherwood Foresters who was killed last February in France, where he had only been five weeks as previously reported. Mrs Rogan is left with five young children and her husband had not seen the baby. In the course of his letter, Mr Mumford wrote:- “This will cause a great blank in you life but you will feel proud of being the wife of one who gave his life for his country.”'
Retford & Worksop Herald & North Notts Advertiser, 19 September 1916: ‘Heroes. Retford has done its share in the world-war … Below we give a list of men of the Sherwood Foresters who have given their lives… Lance-Sjt W Rogan.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
WW1 Pension Index: Walter Rogan 15128 SF (10th Bn). Widow Sarah Jane Rogan 28 June 1883, children William 12 Aug 1904, Mabel 28 Jan 1907 Albert Edward 27 Aug 1908 and George Cornelius 10 November 1911, Walter b. 1916 . Note: there are two pension records and Walter's name is not included on one of them; presumably it was drawn up before Walter's birth some months after his father's death.
Walter's brother-in-law, his wife Sarah's brother, George Hartley, served with the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment (6298 Private) and died in April 1915. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Retford & Worksop Herald & NN Advertiser, 10 October 1922: Military Absentee. On Saturday, William Rogan, Beardsall Row, was charged at the local Police Court with having been an absentee since October 3rd from the Dorset Regiment, stationed at Dorchester. He was remanded for an escort, which arrived on Sunday.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Walter's son George Cornelius probably served in the Second World War as there is a record of a GC Rogan, 1910527 Sapper Royal Engineers, born 10 July 1911, who enlisted in 1940 but was discharged on 17 November 1941 ('Released 'C' indef. date 29 September 1945').
Albert Edward Rogan, Walter and Sarah's son, served in WW2: UK Smaller Unit Service Records. 13096151 W Sergeant unit 421 Pioneer Corps Albert Edward Rogan b 27 August 1908 Retford. Occ tanks (Munitions). Marriage 19 April 1930 Newark to Emily Rogan Rick. Enlisted 17 July 1941 Worksop. Discharge 10 Feb 1954 Holyhead. Parents Sarah & William-sic. Brothers Walter, (b.1916) Harry (b. 1918).
Walter's widow, Sarah Jane, had a son Harry (Rogan) in 1918. He attested in 1939, 93804 Gunner, RHA 107 (South Notts Hussars) Regiment. He was taken prisoner in 1942 and may have been captured after the fall of Tobruk. He died on 21 October 1942 and is buried in Naples War Cemetery, Italy. CWGC 2240007: 'Son of Mr and Mrs Walter Rogan; husband of Ruby Rogan, of Newark, Nottinghamshire.' (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Walter Rogan
This photo was first published in the Retford Times, following the death of Walter Rogan
Walter Rogan
Commonwealth war grave headstone marking his grave at Spoilbank Cemetery , Belgium. Courtesy of Murray Biddle
Photo of Walter Rogan
Buried in Spoilbank Cemetery, Belgium (www.cwgc.org)