Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

ATHOL WAITE ROGER
MERCHANT NAVY
P.O.W. Second World War .

BIRTH: Athol Waite Roger was born to Amy Maud (CARTER) and the Reverend William Waite ROGER , NSW, in 1910.
To SEA: Athol first served as a cadet on the SS Niagara in 1928. With the Adelaide Steamship Company. He worked his way up the ranks, serving on various merchant ships. He was finally posted to the SS TRIONA of the British Phosphate Commission, 2nd August 1940. His rank was Chief Steward.
Interestingly, his seaman’s card shows him as being ‘discharged’ on 6 DEC 1940 which is the date of the sinking of the SS TRIONA.
The SS TRIONA: A combined cargo passenger ship of about 4400 tons. It sailed the Australian coast and out to the Pacific islands. This ship had an unusual appearance in that it had a ‘cruiser’ bow and stern.
ENEMY: The Kriegsmarine surface raiders sneaked their way into the Pacific, The KOMET, came via the North pole route, aided by the Russians! The German raiders commenced their war around Australian and New Zealand waters. They were disguised as Japanese merchantmen when the arrived in Nauru waters. One of the numerous ships captured and sunk was the SS TRIONA of the coast of Nauru. 6 DEC 1940.
TELEGRAM: Athol’s parents received a telegram stating that his ship was seen burning of the coast of Nauru and his whereabouts was unknown!
CAPTURED: Athol was a POW on one of the German ships, Komet , Orion or their supply ship Kulmerland. With so many prisoners the German commanders put all, except the ships officers ashore on Emirau Island, North of New Guinea. Sometime after that, the Merchant seamen were transferred to the supply ship ERMLAND, which miraculously made it through the R.N. blockade into Bordeaux harbour.
Athol and his fellow POWs, were locked up in Bordeaux for about two weeks then placed into cattle trains, and headed north. In Athol’s diary he notes every station they went through, France, Belgium ,Holland and NW Germany. Dismounting from the trains they marched to a Nazi concentration camp at Sandbostel. STALAG Xb. The Germans had a small section there for captured sailors and seamen.
When the protective powers, Switzerland and the U.S.A found about this, they protested to the German Government. Subsequently the sailors/seamen went north to a purpose built camp at WESTERTIMKE. It was called MARLAG und MILAG. ( Marlag for war sailors and Milag for merchant seamen.) Here, Athol was interned until Hitler was dead.
With Athol still missing, his father, the Rev William Waite ROGER carried out his normal ministerial duties which included taking those MIA – KIA telegrams to the next of kin.

One day in Sydney, about six months after the sinking, Ella, his sister, came home from work to find her mother leaning on the front fence, holding a piece of paper and crying. The conversation went something like this…
Ella, “What’s the matter Mum?”
Mother Amy, “ Its Athol, he’s alive and a prisoner in Germany”.
Life as a POW in MILAG: ( Marine interment Lager)
FIVE years locked up in a POW camp! His POW number 90774.
The GUARDS. At first they were the superior race type, but as the war dragged on with Germany losing millions of young men, Athol’s guard ended up being old fellas, so old that when the POWs went out to work on nearby farms, they carried the rifles for those very old guards.
Westertimke is roughly between Bremen and Hamburg so the camp heard and saw lots of allied bombing raids on those important U Boat ports. Athol noted after the 1000 plane raid on Hamburg, along with the firestorm, the guards were particularly nasty for a couple of weeks.
The MILAG camp had a few frights from ditched bombs, from American bombers who were under attack in the air battles above.
Athol Roger helped the Allied Camp Commander with lots of organising , in the Milag Jockey Commission, ( a sort of model horse table game) Boxing matches, entertainments, sports, and in the distribution of the much needed Red Cross parcels for POWs.
He received written letters of appreciation in his war diary from camp leaders. For example I quote:-
“ Athol, may your cheery smile and winning nature continue to help others throughout your life – as the efforts you have made during our ‘Camp life’. To be always doing something for others has been very much appreciated.” Signed by A. ADDISON. Camp Leader.
Camp life was tough, but even tougher after D Day when the Red Cross parcels were withheld. Starvation really set in!.
NB: Folded in Athols papers was a large detailed map of the layout and dimensions of the
MILAG camp, and huts. It is undated.
LIBERATION: In Athol’s scrap book he has a few pages of notes describing the three day battle around the camp, with enemy tanks using the camp for cover, shot and shells everywhere, his notes include some personal comments about the enemy, but it all paid off, the camp was liberated by British Guards units on or about 29 APR 1945, the day before Hitler shot himself. The liberators were 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards, ( armoured) and Scots Guards.
REPATRIATION:
Athol and his comrades were flown out of Germany to Belgium to an Allied rehab centre thence to England to recover. Athol was billeted with an English family for a couple of weeks to aid his recovery. That family was given extra ration vouchers to help feed the ex POW, to strengthen him up for the long journey home. Athol was also present in the jubilant V.E day celebrations.
His return journey took him by ship to New York where the American Red Cross feted the men, including taking in a show on Broadway, then down to the Panama canal, and home to his parents in Sydney.
POST WAR:
The British Phosphate Commission were good employers, offering him a job at sea or on shore. Athol did not want to go to sea again so he chose a shore job on Nauru, were he met and married Jean.
For a few years after the war, in gratitude, Athol sent back some food money to the family that looked after him because the British still had food shortages.
At the end of his life Athol lived in Frankston, Vic. Until his death in 1978. He was survived by his wife Jean and his two daughters.

This is a brief precis written by Bill Clark, nephew.

REFERENCE SOURCES:
Athol Waite ROGER’s diary, scrapbooks, papers , letters, photographs, and souvenirs from MILAG.
Interviews with Athol’s sister Ella Lois CLARK. ( nee ROGER)
The AUST WW2 nominal Roll.
The Ballarat Prisoner of War memorial.
The Nat Archives of Australia. “Survivors statements, Triadic, Triona, Trisaster.”
NAA series nr B6121/3. Barcode 131 9575.
The Aust War memorial.
The official history of the R.A.N. 1939 – 1942. see page 261 onwards.
Kriegsmarine history of their HILFKREUZERs. ( Auxillary cruiser)
The State Library of Victoria. ( Images)
The Imperial War Museum. Search terms (Marlag und Milag) or (Westertimke ) War paintings done in camp during the war. The painting depicting great air battles over Milag camp is interesting.
The History of the Welsh Guards.
Wikipedia off course, and,
YOU TUBE There is a B&W BBC news clip of the liberation of MILAG. It shows thousands of happy chappies inside the wire, with British soldiers at the gate, then truck loads of ex Pows being driven away.