Dambusters crewman 'lucky to be here'

George Rogers.

Napier man George Rogers, who turned 100 today, has a unique place in WWII history - having been part of the ground crew of the legendary 'Dambusters' squadron.

Along with the sole remaining pilot of 617 Squadron, Les Munro of Tauranga, Mr Rogers is one of the few left of the air and ground crew who took part in the campaign of bombing German dams in 1943.

Unfortunately Mr Rogers has been beset by ill health in recent weeks and was not up to having a chat about his exploits, although as his step-daughter and step-grandson said, he never spoke too much about it.

As Christine Parnell said, that may have been because he almost certainly lost a few good mates.

"He never spoke about it - we had to ask him," she said.

As his step-grandson Matt Evans said, Mr Rogers came close to death at least twice.

"He's lucky to be here."

Mr Rogers was born in Ruislip, in northwest London and he tried to join the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of war but was turned down and sent back to his job as a cable joiner in the London underground transport system.

But in 1941 he did enter the service, joining the RAF as an engine fitter, specialising in the Rolls Royce Merlin V12 engines which were used on both fighters as well as the four-engined Avro Lancaster bombers which were used in the dambuster raids by 617 Squadron.

He also worked as a fitter with 57 Squadron but it was while he was with the Dambusters he came close to losing his life - twice.

On one occasion he was having a cup of tea with two of his colleagues in a hangar when he was called away to the phone.

At that time a German bomber had targeted the building and dived in - one of its bombs destroying the end of the hangar where he and his mates had been chatting.

They were both killed.

"He was at the other end of the hangar where the phone was," Mr Evans said.

On another occasion one of the Lancasters preparing to set off on a raid caught fire.

It was towed to a safe area as there was a large bomb on board.

The situation was not good as the fire had clearly caused the bomb to heat up and the ground crew, realising it was liable to explode, all took to their heels.

Mr Rogers, whose role was to load and arm bombs, was sent flying through the air for about 25 metres when the bomb went off.

He was battered and bruised and both eardrums were ruptured and bleeding.

He duly reported to the station's medic and was simply told to have the rest of the day off and report back for duty the next morning.

The only medical assistance was effectively the cotton wool swabs he put in to stop the bleeding.

His hearing would never fully recover.

After the war Mr Rogers and his wife Monica moved out to New Zealand and settled in Auckland where he worked as a plumber.

Away from work he was a very accomplished gymnast and also enjoyed choral singing.

Cars were also a great interest and he bought two DKWs - one for him and one for his wife.

They also travelled the land in a campervan and liked the look of Hawke's Bay and decided to retire to Napier for the climate.

His wife died in 2000 and three years later he married Mrs Parnell's mother, Judy Evans.

A quiet family visit to the rest home he now lives at is planned for his birthday.