A CAMPAIGN launched by Sir Ray Tindle, proprietor of The Herald newspaper group, last month to raise money to restore the town's war memorial to its former glory, has got off to a good start. Among a number of donations to the war memorial fund, the most recent has been made in memory of a Haslemere man who was killed at just 19 years of age. Neville Frederick Rogers, whose name is listed on the memorial, was a flying officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He died in a tragic accident when the two- manned Beaufighter bomber in which he was flying crashed in Yorkshire while on a circuit of the airport on July 26, 1943. He is buried in the churchyard of St Bartholomew's Church in Derby Road. Neville was one of two children of Frederick and Hilda Rogers, who lived in Highercombe Road, Hasle-mere, from 1926 onwards. He was a member of St Bartholomew's choir and sang his first solo at the age of 17. He went to school in Haslemere before moving on to Guildford Technical College, where he was studying to become an architect. He signed up at the age of 18, and went on to train as a pilot in Canada. The money for the fund was donated by his sister, who does not wish to be named. Speaking this week, Haslemere mayor Brian Howard said that there had been a good response to the appeal, but more money was needed. "We have raised just over £4,300 for the project," he said. Work is expected to start on the war memorial in September and is planned to be completed for this year's Remembrance Day service in November. Anyone wishing to help in the appeal should send a cheque made payable to Haslemere Town Council to the Town Clerk, Haslemere Town Council, High Street, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2HG.
