Box 025, folder 11: Robert E. Rogge

Released - INt. CAN [crossed out] ENG. Can[end of crossed out] ROGGE, T/Sgt Robert E. 3rd Can. Div

Box 25, #11

[inserted]Release to PG [end inserted] [inserted] Saw [?Priller?] [end inserted] [inserted] Juno [end inserted]

[inserted] (Canadian [end inserted] [inserted] Army - Int Near London * [end inserted] [inserted] apparently [end inserted] For Cornelius Ryan [inserted] Has glider [end inserted] [inserted] an American [end inserted] Book about D-Day [inserted] pilot in his [end inserted] [inserted] office too [end inserted] THOUSANDS OF MEN, OH LAND AND SEA AND IN THE AIR, PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF NOHHANDY BETWEEN MIDNIGHT JUNE 5, 1944 AND MIDNIGHT JUNE 6, 1944. IF YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name? Robert Elliot Rogge

What was your unit and division? Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders, 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Bernieres-sur-Mer at some time between 0830 and 0900 hours. Exact time rather indefinite to me now.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Private.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 22½ years

Were you married at that time? No

What is your wife's name? N/A

Did you have any children at that time? N/A

What do you do now? T/Sgt, USAF. Information Services Office, Hq, Third AF, APO 125, N.Y., N.Y. till July 1959 when I rotate to Z.I.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? We suspected this for several months before-at least five or six, but were given our invasion briefing only a month or so before the event, then sealed in our camps behind barbed wire. We were certain when that happened.

What was the trip like during the crossing of the Channel? Do you remember, for example, any conversations you had or how you passed the time? As I recall, the Channel wasn't particularly smooth. Of coarse, many men were seasick. We traveled on an LCIL manned by U.S. Navy personnel. I believe there was just our one company on board, but I'm not certain of this now. We were equipped with fielding bicycling to be used for a quick run inland to Carpiquet airport, but the bikes were dumped in Beny-sur-Mer, about five miles inland, when German resistance stiffened and held up our advance. As I recall, Carpiquet, our first day's objective, wasn't reached for several days, perhaps over a week. Our particular unit reached Villons-lesBuissons on the approaches to Caen, where we were held up for weeks by incessant enemy armored and armored infantry attacks, including S.S and Hitler Youth. The place became known as ''Hell's Corners". I can't recall any particular conversations on the trip over, but I do recall the self-heating cans of Heinz soup we had on board, and I do remember the ship's captain telling us not to worry, he would run the ship so far up on the beach we wouldn't even get our socks wet. We stepped off into about 4 feet of water! What were the rumors on board the boat, ship or plane in which you made the crossing? (Some people remember scuttlebut to the effect that the Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when the troops came in). I can't recall any particular rumors, either. We spent most of our time just sitting around on deck looking at the rest of the invasion armada and wondering how England was staying afloat with all the barrage ballons now tied to the ships! We speculated, of course, on what the Germans had in store for us, but nobody knew for certain just what would be waiting.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name ROGGE, Robert E.

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Pvt Bert Box was the first casualty in our group. He was killed by a mortar bomb in the afternoon at Beny-sur-Mer and we buried him in the village church yard with the padre in attendance. Prisoners did the digging. Several other men were wounded by the same bomb which had exploded in trees overhead. Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they beoame casualties? No.

Were you wounded? No.

Do you remember what it was like--that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were you so surprised that you felt nothing? N/A

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? A FW-190 flew overhead coming from the beaches inland. It was low enough for us to see the pilot's face as he looked down. One of the men fired on the plane with a Sten gun—caliber .9mm--which, of course, didn't bother him in the least. A minute or so after, we all thought it had been pretty funny the man should think he could bring down a Jerry fighter with a Sten gun. Also, there was (the man who dived under an ammunition truck for cover when the plane came over.)

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? The time we shot a cow, butchered it and cooked it immediately. The next day we were all sick and the M.O. told us we should have let the carcass cool overnigt before cooking it.

The time a corporal threw a grenade at a second story window and it hit the ledge and bounced back at him. He caught it and threw it again-this time through the window.

The inhuman fanaticism of the Hitler Youth troops who absolutely refused to be taken prisoner under any circumstances and who had to be shot on sight.

The time a German youngster asked one of our men for a piece of chocolate. When the soldier put down his rifle and started going through his pockets, the youngster pulled a revolver out of his jacket and shot him through the heart.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name ROGGE, Robert E.

In times of great crisis, people generally show either great ingenuity or self-reliance; others do incredibly stupid things. Do you remember any examples of either? I can't recall anything that would fall in these categories, off hand. It's been a long time, you know, and one's memory isn't to be trusted too much over so long a period.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? At sea.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? At Beny-sur-Mer

Do you know of anybody else who landed within those 24 hours (midnight June 5 to midnight June 6) as infantry, glider or airborne troops, or who took part in the air and sea operations, whom we should write to? [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out] I don't know of any other Americans who were in the Glens at the time. So far as Canadian accounts are concerned, you have undoubtedly established contact with many men who took part in the invasion from Canada.

PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE BOOK. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE YOUR STORY ON SEPARATE SHEETS IF WE HAVE NOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM, FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN IN A CHAPTER CALLED "WHERE THEY ARE NOW; YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

Cornelius Ryan

Frances Ward Research, The Reader's Digest

[inserted] No card yet [end inserted]

T/Sgt Robert E. Rogge, AF 13260020 Hq, Third Air Force APO 125, New York, N.Y.

24 April 1958

Miss Francis Ward Reader's Digest 230 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y.

Dear Miss Ward,

The 26 April issue of AMERICAN WEEKEND carried an article by John Virden to the effect that the Reader's Digest is trying to locate servicemen who took part in the D-Day operations on 6 June 1944.

While the article states the Digest is primarily looking for men who served in American combat units on that day, perhaps you might be interested in men who served with Allied armies during that period.

I was with the Canadian Army for 4½ years and went ashore on D-Day with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division at Bernieres-sur-Mer at about 0800. At the time I was with the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders, 9th Infantry Brigade (Highland Brigade), 3rd Infantry Division. I had originally enlisted in the Canadian Black Watch in August 1941, but was transferred to the 'Glens' in December 1943 when they were in the Gosport, near Portsmouth, area.

The 3rd Division had undergone intensive assault and combined operations training and the 9th Brigade was equipped with light, folding bicycles to be used for rapid movement inland, once we were ashore. We didn't have much use for those bikes, let me tell you! We ran into strong resistance in the late afternoon near Beny-sur-Mer, about 2-3 miles inland, and didn't reach our projected first main objective, Caen, until August. We were scheduled to be in the town by 7-8 June at the latest!

Our first casualty was buried in the churchyard at Beny-sur-Mer and our first prisoners were taken at a sunken road in which a German motorized infantry column had been trapped.

I've been in the Air Force since March 1947, 13 months after my discharge from the Canadian Army.

If I can be of any assistance to you or Mr. Ryan, please let me know and I will be only to glad to help in any way I can.

Sincerely, [signature] Robert E. Rogge [end signature] ROBERT E. ROGGE T/Sgt USAF