Pte. Charles Edward Rodgers 235th Battalion Jan. 7 1918

Charles Edward Rodgers 1063141

Charles E. Rodgers was born on August 06, 1891 in Dummer Township, Ontario. His parents John and Caroline (Hall) Rodgers farmed the rocky land in Clarina, an area in the northern part of the township. 

Rodgers enlisted on February 23^rd, 1917 in the 247^th Battalion (Victoria and Haliburton), the second full battalion that Peterborough would raise in the city.    He listed his occupation as a farmer; he indicated that he was not married, and that he had no previous military experience.  Charles was 25 and a half years old and stood 5’6” tall, had a dark complexion, gray eyes, and dark brown hair.  He was a Methodist.

The 247^th was later absorbed into the 235^th Battalion, recruited from Northumberland and Durham counties.  His name appears on the 235^th embarkation roll, which indicates he left Halifax with this battalion aboard the S.S. Metagama on May 03, 1917.

Upon arriving in England, the 235^th was absorbed into the 3^rd Reserve Battalion and its members were redistributed throughout various existing Canadian battalions. Pte. Rodgers was reassigned to the 74^th Company, Canadian Forestry Corps.  During his time in service he contracted pneumonia and died at the American Hospital in Bordeaux, France on  January 07, 1918.  He is buried in Talence Communal Cemetery in Bordeaux.  His name also appears on the Dummer Township Cenotaph.

Sources:

Canada. "Soldiers of the First World War (1914-1918)." Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4930 - 35. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.

War Graves Registry: Circumstances of Death Records. Record Group 150, 1992–1993/314, Boxes 145–238. Library and Archives Canada. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

War Graves Registry: Circumstances of Death Records; (RG150, 1992-1993/314, Boxes 39-144); Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.