William Martin "Willie" Rogers (15 April 1893 – 22 September 1918) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League. He spent the 1913 season at Carlton before moving to the Victorian Football Association (VFA) side Brunswick in 1914.

He died of wounds sustained in action in World War I.

Family The son of John Rogers (-1909),News in Brief, The Ballarat Star, Monday, 13 September 1909), p.4. and Mary Rogers (1856–1924),Deaths: Rogers, The Argus, (Monday, 22 September 1924), p.1. née Fitzgerald, William Martin Rogers was born at Woolamai, Victoria on 15 April 1893.

Football Carlton (VFL) In addition to the three senior games he played with the Carlton First XVIII, he also played a number of games for "Carlton District" in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA) in 1913.The Juniors, The Herald, (Friday, 22 August 1913), p.4.

Brunswick (VFA) Rogers was granted a clearance from Carlton to Brunswick on 22 April 1914.Football: Permit Applications, The Argus, (Thursday, 23 April 1914), p.12. However, there's no evidence that he ever played in a match for either the Brunswick First XVIII or its associated "Junior" team.Given that Rogers' service record clearly indicates that he was in France in August 1917, it is obvious that the "W. Rogers" that kicked 3 goals for the "Brunswick Juniors" on 11 August 1917 () is a completely different individual.

Military service He enlisted in the First AIF on 26 February 1916, and served overseas with the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion.

He was wounded in action, in France, on 12 October 1917.Australian Casualties: List No.374: Wounded, The Argus, (Monday, 24 December 1917), p.5.

He returned to active duty in France in June 1918,On his return to active duty he was issued identity tag number 113A, which explain why some of his later records show his regimental number as "113A", rather than the original "113". and was wounded in action, for a second time, on 18 September 1918.

Death Unconscious on admission, and failing to regain consciousness, he died of the gunshot wounds he had sustained in active service on 22 September 1918.Died on Service: Rogers, The Argus, (Tuesday, 1 October 1918), p.1; Died on Service: Rogers, The Argus, (Friday, 4 October 1918), p.1.Victorian Casualties, List No.442: Died of Wounds, The Argus, (Tuesday, 19 November 1918), p.7.

See also List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service

Footnotes

References Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing. De Bolto, Tony, "Willie Rogers remembered . . . lest we forget", Blueseum, 22 April 2008. The AIF Project: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113), UNSW Canberra. First World War Nominal Roll: Lance Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), Australian War Memorial. First World War Embarkation Roll: Private William Martin Rogers (113), Australian War Memorial. World War One Service Record: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), National Archives of Australia. Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau files: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), Australian War Memorial. Roll of Honour: Corporal William Martin Rogers (113A), Australian War Memorial.

External links

Blueseum profile: Willie Rogers