Roland Degg

Roland Degg (10 February 1909 – 2001) was an English military officer active in World War II. As a field officer he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel temporarily, when he took command of the 38th column of the South Staffordshires Regiment in Japanese-held Myanmar in 1944.

Degg was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his command of the 1st Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment during World War II.

Early life

Degg was born in Cannock, West Midlands, England. He was educated at Chadsmoor Boys' School in Cannock until he was 13, when he left school in order to work at the colliery at Huntington as a "nipper", with additional duties looking after pit ponies. During the General Strike in 1926, he enlisted with the South Staffordshire Regiment of the British Army, aged 15, although the legal minimum age to enlist as a soldier was 16 years.

Military career Early service (1926–1939) Degg's early service was with the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment stationed in India and Palestine. He was made Lance Corporal during 1931, and later to a full Corporal, and was captain of the battalion football team during 1934. The following year he was posted to the 1st Battalion at Aldershot when the regiment competed for the Army football cup. Remaining with the 1st Battalion, by 1937 he had become a Sergeant, and was one of the three men selected as escort to the regimental colours of King George VI. On 10 December 1940 he took part in an assault on a strongly-defended Italian position at Sidi Barrani. many of them wounded and nearly all suffering from a mixture of malaria, jungle sores or swollen feet. Nevertheless, the force took Mogaung in an assault sometime about midnight, with the Staffords and Gurkhas wading through rivers and marshes and clearing hills and ridges in close-quarter fighting. The Mogaung battle lasted from 31 May until 27 June 1944. Degg took part in all attacks, and was at the front line of the battle throughout. "Under his leadership, his battalion never failed in attack or lost ground in defence. The battalion has continually outmatched the Japanese in courage, in defence, endurance and bravery, and this has been largely due to Lt-Col Degg's skill and stubbornness."

After 1945 At the end of the World war, Degg trained Dutch troops at Chichester. He then attended Staff College and took up a staff appointment in Western Command. He was also a sportsman, footballer, swimmer, water-polo player and athletic all-rounder, noted for his skill in the hammer throw. In 1951, he returned to the 1st Battalion of his regiment as commanding officer, taking the regiment to Hong Kong, Northern Ireland and Germany, before handing over the command in April 1954.

Post-military career Degg was personnel manager of Horseley Bridge and Thomas Piggott Engineers in Tipton, West Midlands, from 1954 until his retirement in 1975.

Personal life Degg had four daughters by his first marriage (née Spires). He died aged 92 in hospital in Wolverhampton.