We regret to advise of the death of Sapper Sheldon Trevor Rogers at the High Crest Nursing Home in Oxford NS on 9 November 2001 at the age of 81 years. Sheldon was born in Little River NS and grew up in a family of two sisters and five brothers. After school, he worked in the family's lumber business.
On 9 September 1939, the day before Canada officially declared war, Sheldon and two brothers, Emerson and Doug, boarded a train for Halifax to join the army. All three were assigned to the 1st Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers and started their training at Wellington Barracks in Halifax. They all ended up in the unit’s transport section assigned to the Headquarters Section as motorcyclists.
On 27 January 1940, the company embarked and sailed from Pier 21 in Halifax with a strength of over 270 officers and men for the United Kingdom. They spent the first years of the war training in England in preparation for the invasion of the continent. At some point in the war, Sheldon was posted to the 5th Field Company which arrived in England in July 1943. He landed on the beaches of Normandy on 6 June 1944. His unit joined the three field companies of the 3rd Canadian Divisional Engineers in the assault phase of the battle. They later re-joined the 2nd Canadian Corps Troops Engineers and pushed forward on an 11-month campaign taking them through France, Belgium, Holland and into Germany, building bridges, repairing roads and clearing mines.
After the war, Sheldon and his brother Doug returned to the family logging and lumber business. In 1952, Sheldon joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served until he retired in 1970 when he took over his father's insurance business. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed the outdoors. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Fighting Fifth Sappers Association.
The funeral will be at McDiarmid's Funeral Home in Oxford at 2 PM with burial in the Windham Hill Cemetery. Donations to the Nova Scotia Lung Association, Alzheimer Society or the charity of your choice will be appreciated.
