A W6
Date of the items: 2014 [Originals 1918, 1934]
Physical description: 3 pages
Title: Henry (Harry) G. Rogers Fonds
Creator: Henry (Harry) G. Rogers [Copies by Carole Taugher]
Repository: Trent Valley Archives
Reference number: TVA Fonds 438
Scope and contents: The fonds consists of copies of three documents related to the court martial of Henry G. Rogers, one of a group of officers at the Clausthal POW camp from 1917 to 1918, who attempted to escape from the prison. It was located high in the Harz Mountains, a resort area in Saxony, and was known to have a brutal commandant.
- Statement of the Charge, Hanover, January 17, 1918
- Charge, Hanover, January 17, 1918
- Story in the Toronto Star Weekly, December 22, 1934, p. 11, titled Eleventh Hour Betrayal based on an interview with Henry G. Rogers.
Access Conditions: No Restrictions
Finding aid: None
Accruals: No further accruals are expected
Custodial history: Donated by Carole Taugher, a descendant of Henry Rogers.
Biographical sketch: Henry (Harry) G. Rogers was born in Peterborough on November 2, 1884 to parents Richard Birdsall Rogers and Clara Mina Calcutt. Following his father’s example, he worked as a civil engineer for Niagara Hydro. He enlisted in the First World War in 1915 with the 8th Canadian Mounted Rifles. During his active service, he was hit by a piece of shrapnel in the chest and never fully recovered from his wounds. He was captured and detained at the Clausthal Prisoner of War camp, from which he attempted to escape, but he was caught and court marshalled by the Germans. He, along with some of his other co-conspirators, were sentenced to seven months hard labour, but he never served his sentence as he was exchanged for a German POW in Holland after the trial. After the war, he moved to the Toronto area, where he married Lillian Maude Delle on October 1, 1919. They had no children. He passed away on June 4, 1937 at the age of 52.
Related fonds at TVA: See F384, Carole Taugher, for more materials related to the Rogers family.
Access Points:
Clausthal Prisoner of War Camp
Rogers Family
R. B. Rogers
Clara Mina Calcutt Rogers