Flying Officer Peter Bagwell Rogers
On 15th July, 1930, Flying Officer Peter Bagwell Rogers of No.23 Squadron, lost control of his Gloster Gamecock Mk.I (J7894) and spun into the ground at Gedney Dawsmere, near Holbeach Ranges, Lincolnshire, during gunnery practice.
No.23 had been the first fighter squadron to be equipped with the Gloster Gamecock Mk.I, in May 1926, but it proved to be a tricky aeroplane – roughly a quarter of the Mk.I’s operated by the RAF were lost in landing or spin accidents – problems which were corrected by adjustments to the upper wing and tail unit in the Gamecock Mk.II. This was the second year running that 23 Squadron had lost a pilot at Sutton Bridge in similar circumstances – Flying Officer Charles Henry Jones had also stalled and spun into the ground in a Gloster Gamecock Mk.I, in August, 1929.
Peter’s accident was widely reported in the newspapers. ‘The Chronicle and Courier’ carried this report on 18th July, 1930:
Flying Officer Rogers was with the 23rd Squadron, R.A.F., Kenley, and was down at the Sutton Bridge Training Camp with his Squadron. At about ten minutes past five on Tuesday evening he was at gun practice on the range at Holbeach Marsh, bordering the Wash, flying solo in a Gamecock aeroplane when he crashed. The only witness of the accident was his own officer, Flight-Lieut. Victor Crome, who was driving a motor car from the range at Holbeach to the Sutton Bridge Camp. The officer saw Rogers’ machine spin to the ground on the right hand side of him. He at once stopped his car and ran to the wrecked machine, to find deceased thrown out, and lying on the ground apparently dead. Flight-Lieut. Crome sent a message to the range, and to the camp for a doctor, who speedily arrived on the scene.
The accident had occurred just after 5pm, while Rogers was circling, waiting for targets to be patched. He was only at about 400ft when the Gamecock went into a left-hand spin – too low to bale out. Seconds later, a civilian witness, Mr. G. F. Pearl, described ‘a tremendous crash which seemed to shake the ground,’ in George Cauldwell’s beet field, followed by a cloud of smoke. The wreckage of the neat little bi-plane now, “looked just like an enormous heap of crumpled silver paper,” according to Arthur Edgley, a witness from Lutton.
Peter Bagwell Rogers was one of five children born to Colonel J. M. Rogers, D.S.O., J.P., and his wife Muriel Blanche Rogers. The family lived comfortably at Riverhill in Sevenoaks, Kent, with the 1911 census noting that they had 12 servants and a governess.
Rogers was educated at New Beacon School, Sevenoaks, and Kelly College, near Tavistock. He had been about two years in the Air Force, being confirmed in the rank of Pilot Officer on 3rd January, 1930, and promoted to Flying Officer on 6th May, 1930. He was a keen motorist, who was frequently seen driving his Bugatti in the Sevenoaks area.
Peter’s body was brought to Sevenoaks on Friday 18th July, was placed in the chancel of St Nicholas’ Church, Sevenoaks, until his funeral the following day, which was attended by his family and the staff of Riverhill, as well as officers from both Kenley Squadrons (Nos. 23 and 32) including Flight Commander Croome, who had witnessed the crash, and many other mourners.
Among many floral tributes was one in the shape of Peter’s Bugatti from “a few friends.”
Peter was just 22 years old when he died.
Rest in peace Sir and thank you for your service.
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