Pilot, strategist and leader par excellence

Lieutenant-General Robert Rogers, DSO, DFC Bar, Royal Air Force; SSA, SM, MMM, South African Air Force, is the most highly decorated military man in South Africa. Graham Jooste tells his remarkable story.

- Graham Jooste

Robert Harry Doherty Rogers was in Warden in the then Orange ree State on 7 November 1921. From an early age, he was interested in weaponry and became a very good shot; this earned him his Springbok colours when he represented South Africa in an international contest after matriculating at Maritzburg College.

Rogers enrolled as a medical student at the University of Witwatersrand, but in 1940, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, he left his studies to join the South African Air Force SAAF) as a gunner. After qualifying, he volunteered to train as a pilot and was sent to Southern Rhodesia now Zimbabwe) for further training. Both South Africa and Southern Rhodesia had been chosen to establish training facilities for future British and Commonwealth pilots.

In October 1941, Rogers was assigned to 208 Squadron, Royal Air Force RAF) in Egypt, where he flew Hurricanes and Spitfires. During a dogfight with Messerschmitt Bf 109s near Benghazi, he was shot down, but managed to crash-land safely and escape back to Allied lines. He was thereafter posted to 225 Squadron, RAF, a tactical reconnaissance outfit which took part in operations over Egypt and Libya, and, later, Sicily, Italy and the Balkans. In August 1942, while returning from a mission, Rogers's flight was jumped by four Bf 109s. A bullet penetrated his cockpit and shot away one of his fingers, but despite the pain, he managed to return to base successfully. For his superb flying and bravery he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross DFC) and thereafter promoted to squadron leader.

At that stage, the Hurricane was being used as a fighter-bomber to harass enemy convoys and lines of communication. On one occasion, Rogers ordered his squadron not to bomb a large column of stragglers and retreating enemy troops, saying that they were beaten and presented no threat.