Private W R Rodgers, 189230, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)

Private William Robert Rodgers, 189230, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)

1902 Oct/Dec Born Aston, Birmingham

1911 census living at 91 Imperial Road, Bordesley Green

1920 Aug 5. Died age 17, shot at Bruree. He died some days later in Barrington's Hospital Limerick from a bullet wound in the lower part of the body.

A patrol on cycles of 5 men (Pte Rodgers, Pte CJ Fleming , Pte (189325) DC Hood, Pte (78876) F Bailey and Sgt (7807884) A H Monk ) under a Lieutenant R W Wilkinson (MGC) plus 2 RIC men (Sgt O'Grady, Const.Patrick Murray) was ambushed at Tankardstown, about 1/2 mile out of Bruree on the road to Killmallock. All were stationed at Ashill Towers on the edge of Kilmallock.
They were attacked by IRA East Limerick column, including Waterford IRA officer George Lennon .
Private Rodgers fell dead on the road, and his rifle was siezed by Commandant O'Hannigan who jumped a fence under fire to get it.
On being shot at, they ran into the house of a local man called Ward, and told the family to hide under a table
The patrol then barricaded themselves into the house and held off their attackers for about an hour
Meanwhile one of the men, Pte CJ Fleming, managed to escape, and cycle to Bruff for help He was later awarded the BEM
Reinforcement arrived by lorry and lifted the siege. The relieving party was under Capt W Davis and Lt HA Brown
A lorry later arrived back at Bruree, and the soldiers fired shots along the main street
The army claimed that they were pursing the Bruree attackers
2 civilians were later killed. One was a 10 year old boy.

The RIC showed their appreciation in a letter to the MGC

Son of Charles and Emily Rodgers, of 91, Imperial Rd., Bordesley Green, Birmingham.

Buried Birmingham (Yardley) Cemetery CWGC Son of Charles and Emily Rodgers, of 91, Imperial Rd., Bordesley Green, Birmingham.

1920 Oct 8. Compensation case awards £240 to his mother.

1920 Nov 23. Trial of Michael O'Rourke for the murder of Pte Rodgers at the ambush resulted in him being acquitted. The transcript of the trial gives further information on the ambush