OLD soldier Ernie Rogers was born in Darlaston in the West Midlands on December 14, 1922.

His father Alfred was a regular soldier, spending more than two decades serving in India, China and the Somme. Ernie’s first job was in a butcher’s shop before he found better paid work at the Patent Shaft Steelworks where he remained for 42 years, disrupted only by army service.

After enlisting, his first regiment was the Royal Warwickshires. Ernie then volunteered, and was accepted, for the newly formed 1st Airborne Division.

During 1942 and 1943 the division was deployed in North Africa, supporting General Montgomery and the assault on Field Marshal Rommel’s forces at Alam Halfa and the second Battle of El Alamein. While on exercise one of Ernie’s best pals Lucky Southall lost a leg, parts of his hands and his sight.

Although it was a regular occurrence for soldiers to get injured by mines, Ernie never forgot that fateful day, visiting Lucky after the war and often reminiscing on their reunion.

The 1st Airborne were then part of the allied invasion of Sicily and Italy, deployed in advance of the seaborne landings to capture ground and bridges.

This was the first time glider troops had gone into action. Ernie recalled how the anti-aircraft fire from the enemy shore and shells from allied ships confused the pilots towing the gliders and some of them let the ropes free too soon. Forty-seven out of 130 gliders failed to reach land and lives were lost as they crashed into the sea.

After 17 hours in the water Ernie and the other survivors were captured. He spent the next 22 months as a prisoner of war, being moved hundreds of miles from Sicily across Italy to a camp at Wolfsberg, Austria, known as Stalag 18A. Ernie was repatriated and returned to the UK in June 1945.

However he had become fluent in speaking German and was sent back to Germany to assist at the concentration camps.

Happier days lay ahead. He married Floss and the couple shared 63 years together. Ernie’s other great love was football and he always had a dog, even in the prison camp Ernie and Floss spent their last two decades in Bournemouth, where he had trained for the 1st Airborne and had many fond memories.

Sadly Ernie lost Floss a couple years ago and his soulmate’s death took its inevitable toll.

He passed away on February 22, leaving his daughter Susan, son Ernie and two grandchildren Ella and James, as well as very good family friends.