Henry Rogers was born in Peterborough 29 June 1869, and known throughout his life as Hal. He graduated from Royal Military College in 1889 (#206) and received a commission in the Royal Engineers, carrying off the Gold Medal and the Lord Stanley Sword of Honour by attaining the highest assessments. Hal served in India in military works and the Punjab Public Works from 1891 to 1904. He was awarded the India General Service Medal (1895-1902) with four clasps: Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98 and Waziristan 1901-02. In 1904, Hal was posted to England where he assumed a staff position in the War Office and in 1907 was transferred to the Home Office for employment as the Surveyor of Prisons. He retired from the Army in 1909 as a Major after 20 years of service but continued his employment as Surveyor of Prisons as a civilian.

Hal was recalled to active duty upon the outbreak of the First World War and served in France assigned as a staff officer to the Deputy Director of Works on lines of Communications north of Boulogne. By August 1915, he had been reassigned as a Staff Officer, Royal Engineers, with the headquarters of the British VII Corps. In January 1916, he was assigned to special duties with Advanced Water Supply Headquarters for the third, fourth and fifth Army during the Battle of the Somme for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Following this decoration, Hal was mentioned in Despatches on four separate occasions from 1916 to 1919. In 1919, Hal was appointed to the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (Companion) and awarded the French Legion of Honour (Chevalier).

Following the war Hal returned to his position as Surveyor of Prisons with the Home Office, where he remained until his retirement in 1935 at the age of 66 years. At the time, he was President of the Institute of Structural Engineers and published a number of articles in technical journals after his retirement. He died in Woking, Surrey, England in 1955 at the age of 86 years having outlived his wife and three children.

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