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Captain Ron Rogers

The Suffolk Regiment

Captain Rogers began training on beach landings two years before . Although expected to take part in the Sicily invasion, the Suffolks weren’t called upon until by which time Captain Rogers felt his company to be well prepared.

The Suffolks’ role on was to push through the coastal defences, clear the village of and capture two German strongpoints – one a battery codenamed 'Morris', one a key command centre codenamed 'Hillman'. After making his way across the chaos on early in the day, Captain Rogers was held in reserve until D+1.

Visiting Hillman soon after it was taken Rogers saw the German commandant and a column of prisoners leaving the bunker with their suitcases. To Ron it looked for all the world as though they were going on holiday – when in fact they were on their way to a prisoner of war camp.