Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
John the son of Joseph and Margaret was born at Startforth in 1877. The couple had previously married at Teesdale in 1873.
The 1881 census shows the family living at accommodation at Egglestone Abbey. His father was a gardener. His siblings at that time were Hannah, Thomas and Samuel. A lodger was also staying with the family.
By 1891 a new brother Joseph (b 1890) had been welcomed into the family who were now living at Bridgegate Barnard Castle. Father was now a general labourer.
John married his sweetheart Deborah Taylor at Teesdale in 1899.
By 1901 the couple were living at Bridgegate and had a year-old son, Joseph. John worked for North Eastern Railways as a platelayer. They later had another son, Wilfred.
John was a soldier with the 27th Tyneside Irish Battalion.
The Generals authorised a ‘Big Push’ which was planned for 1st July 1916, it was later referred to as the Battle of the Somme.
The 27th Tyneside Irish were assigned Objective 9 which was an attack on the village of La Boiselle. The village of La Boiselle was of huge strategic importance as it would open up the road to Bapaume. As part of the offensive heavy shelling preceded 2 huge mines that were set off, the biggest at Lochnagar (28,000kg). After the shelling stopped the mines were blown at 7.28am. At 7.30am the troops went over the top.
Debris from Lochnagar mine rose twice the height of the Eiffel Tower. Limbs were broken 250m away with the shock waves. The debris came down in seconds so the extra time for the debris to settle actually gave the Germans more time to prepare for counter action.
The German machine gunners took up their positions in the trenches and redoubts and waited.
Once the Allies were far enough down the hillside to prevent a retreat, the guns opened fire. The machine guns ran along the lines and the advancing soldiers fell row by row.
The number of soldiers who died on this battlefield numbered 1927 of which 85% are unknown. John Rodgers was amongst them and has no known grave.
John’s son, Joseph also fought in the Great War with the Durhams. He survived.
John Rodgers is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25 as Rogers
