Meet my Father, Robert Rogge

I found this forum the other day when I 'googled' my dad. Someone had started a thread about 5 years ago asking about him and some of his written works. I was surprised to see it show up on Google and followed the link here. I registered here and sent a PM to the person that had requested the information (to date he has not replied). If I have startled anyone with my strong first post I apologize but when I have finished my story I hope some of you good people will at least appreciate the vigor I posted with. There is much emotion now.

My dad was a good man, as the men from The Greatest Generation were. He was not quite 20 in the summer of 1941 when he rode a bus from Pittsburgh, PA to Canada and enlisted in the 3rd Canadian Army, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders-Black Watch regiment. He went to Europe with the SD&GH and for a couple of years they did what they did and eventually landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. They were piped ashore to Bonnie Dundee with bicycles in tow no less! The idea was to ride them to the next town-that didn't happen, needles to say. He was transfered to the Glengarrys at some point, but I am not sure when. I think it was before the Black Watch was annihilated-Dad was lucky but I don't think THAT lucky.

He fought through France and the Netherlands with the SD&GH until the war was over when he came back home and enlisted in the Army Air Corps and then the US Air Force until he retired from active service in 1968.

I am not the best historian on WWII and dad wouldn't talk about his experiences with me, or either of my two sisters, and he rarely shared with my brother either. Those stories were saved for those who had served, or were currrently serving. The few "horrors" and true feelings that I know from dad were shared with me by my husband, who was privy to dad's council as he was serving his 20 in the US Navy on submarines.

I do know that dad hated, hated, hated the SS and all they did and stood for. If you read his book, Fearsome Battle he writes about finding The SS in battle and what I posted was rather mild in comparison.

Dad was a prolific writer and a voracious reader. He earned his Masters in History with an emphasis on WWI Aviation. He wrote for military publications as a civil servant and he was published in many magazines. I have dozens of his hand written stories that I promised him I would get submitted to his editor.

It is with the greatest sadness that I write the next sentences- Dad passed away on December 14, 2007 and I was with him when he 'went home'. I had the blessed sight during dad's final day and downloaded some good bagpipe music and 1940's swing tunes to my laptop so I could have it with us in the hospital. And so he was 'piped home'. When his obituary is printed I will post it in the appropriate forum.

And to my dad I toast him and all his good friends that were waiting for him in Heaven "Up the Glens!"

 

Pattie, find Keiran bridge's profile and PM him, his Dad , Art, was also in SD&G Highlanders until he transfered to the A&SH of Canada. Art may rememeber your Dad.
http://www.ww2f.com/members/kieran-bridge.html

Oh , just read the end of your post.
Sorry to read your Dad has just died, I know what that is like.
My condolances.
Just been listening to him here.
Rogge, Robert: remembering Juno Beach landing, June 6, 1944 - Audio - Britannica Concise

 

Jeff, Pattie's Dad's book, $16.95
WWII Military History: Fearsome Battle: Robert Rogge

 

Welcome on the forum and I wish you strenght to overcome the loss of your father. I hope you"ll get a reply to your enquiry. If not, I'm certain many of us will be glad to help.

 

Greetings Patricia and I appreciate you posting a brief excerpt of your father's experience and background. I feel for your loss as I do everything I hear of the loss of another veteran. We must cherish and learn from those who are still living and honour the memories of those who are now gone. Thanks again for sharing a part of your father's life with us.

 

Thank you so much for posting this. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your father. I will pray for you and your family. Again thank you for sharing with us, I look forward to hearing more of the experiences of this brave man.

Condolences,

Scott

 

Dear Pattie,
First of all, please except my sincere condolances on your fathers death. Our last e-mail contact was on Thursday December 13th 2007 and a few days before, you asked me for some information about the SD&G-Highlanders in the Netherlands, where your father stayed for some time between May 19th and June 14th 1945, with 450 other Glens.
I knew, that your father was very ill and I tried to get in touch with you again early this month, but got the emails back as undeliverable. Today I searched on the internet and found you . . .
. . . is it possible that you can get in touch with me again . . . ?
Kind Regards to you and yours,
Wigger KF van der Horst
Apeldoorn - The Netherlands

 

My deepest condolences, Pattie. It was the loss of my father in 1996, that sent me down the research path that brought me to the Forum. I hope you return.

I will look for his book, thanks for the information on it Owen.

 

Welcome on this site Wigger. Feel free to write more posts. There are plenty interesting people on the forum from the whole world and there are quite a few Dutchmen too.

 

Allow me to take the daring to say this forum is honoured for having people like you aboard.

 

Welcome, and thank you for your Dad's story. maybe you should start a thread about US citizens who enlisted in Canada. Im sure many did before Pearl and it would be interesting to see where they all came from and what outfits they joined.

 

I have been away from here for too many months...I was 'home' last weekend and found more of Dad's stories...most are about WWI aviation but I have hopes that some of his writings about WWII are somewhere in the files and folders I brought home. I just finished typing one story about D-Day into Word...it is about 6,000 words (15-16 pages). Is that too long to copy and paste in a thread here? I know some people were asking about his works.

I have unearthed several versions of his book, Fearsome Battle---unedited---the way he wanted it to be published.

I also found a small photo album of Dad's. There are pictures of him and some fellow Highlanders before and after Dieppe. Some pictures of what I think is a Bren gun, inside and out. There are some pictures of his fellow soldiers and of a family he would visit when on leave in Europe. And a few of him and his parents and sister and brother before leaving for England. I am going to give the old scan and post a try-hopefully this weekend.

 

Pattie, I would be interested in any photos related to the SD&GH. My father was in that unit during his last 18 months overseas. It was your post that brought me to this site. I'm compyling info for my grandson on my father & am trying to get an SD&GH Glengarry. If you can send me the pictures I'd appreciate it. You can email me at mollyb214@juno.com.
Thank You

 

Hello Pattie, it would be great if you could post a few pictures on the forum along with a few comments. Some of us might be able to help you with identifying places etc...

 

Skipper,
I have uploaded 7 (so far) pictures to my personal folder. I have been pretty lucky with the captions Dad had written on the back sides, in that I was able to read his handwriting! If you or anyone else has recommendations for better key words by all means tell me and I will edit the ones I used.

 

Hi, Pattie. Are those pics available to view in the forum? If so how do I get to them? I'm not very familiar with this site.
Mary

 

Mary,
I emailed two pictures to you and the ones posted here can been seen in the Members Gallery. Just find my name in the alpha list and click on it.