Sergeant Frederick Charles William Rogers

On 17th November, 1936, No.46 squadron lost Sgt. Fred Charles William Rogers, when he crashed his Gloster Gauntlet II, (K7795), into a hill at Pepperscombe Farm, Steyning, in Sussex.

He had been trying to fly beneath the cloud in deteriorating weather conditions. Sgt. Rogers was 28 years old when he died.

Rest in peace Sir and thank you for your service.

No. 46 squadron had been re-formed at Kenley under the R.A.F.’s expansion scheme on 3rd September 1936. The pilots had all come from ‘B’ flight of No.17 squadron, under the command of F/Lt. Calder. Initially, they were equipped with four Gloster Gauntlets. Future aces ‘Bunny’ Currant, Ian Gleed and the outstanding Defiant pilot, Nicholas Gresham Cooke, were among the airmen who joined the squadron in it’s first year.