Green Charles Henry 1887

CHARLES HENRY GREEN

KIA

1887-1917

Father Nm: Henry James Green born ABT 1856 • Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, died JUL 1931 • Rochford, Essex, England

Mother Nm: Lavinia Ann Varney born 1856 • Harley, Oxfordshire, died JAN 1932 • Rochford, Essex, England

Marriage Dt: 11 Jul 1911 • Banbury, St Mary, Oxfordshire, England

K comments:
Spouse comments: Ada Blencowe [4304] born OCT 1889 • Banbury, Oxfordshire died JAN 1969 • Banbury, Oxfordshire

Children. Ada Lavinia Green was born on 3 December 1911 and died in 1976 Banbury

BORN 1886

Born April Quarter 1886 Banbury, baptised 24 November Banbury St Mary.

1901 CENSUS

Wandsworth Name Age

Henry J Green 40
Larmia Green 36
Walter Green 19
Chas H Green 15
Christa Green 4
Henry J Barkeby 26

1911 CENSUS

5 North Bar St Banbury

Name Age
Henry James Green 55
Lavina Green 47
Charles Henry Green 24 House Painter Oliver Green 19
Vera Green 5

11 JULY 1911

Married at St Marys Banbury.

WW1
The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment

Charles Henry Green, Private , T/205251, 4th Bn Queens Royal West Surrey, 2nd Bn Queens Royal West Surrey

SYNOPSIS

Charles volunteered as a Territorial Soldier in the number group allocated to the 4th Battalion Royal West Surreys, based on his identification number T205151. The 2nd Bn RWS served abroad according to the Medal Roll and Medal Index Card. From this, we might infer that Charles travelled overseas with the Regular Army 2nd Bn after first serving with his Territorial regiment in England. My research for this profile began in January 1917, and I mostly consulted the war diary to determine his potential location and fighting history. Since reports suggest battalions were potentially firing across the target in their attempt to seize it in October 1917, there is still some question about whether he was killed by friendly fire.

1917
  • January. Beaumont Hamel in reserve and training. Note the 2nd Battalion part of the 91st Infantry Brigade of the 7th Division.
    February. Puchevillers training . On 20 Feb marched to Albert to billets there. On 25 Feb moved to Bertrancourt.
  • March Bertrancourt. Throughout this period Battalion in working parties doing labouring type work. One man was killed on 2nd Mar

    When looking at the 2nd Bn movements during Jan-Feb you could wonder what was the plan.
  • 12 March. Moved to Puisieux and on 13 May ordered to attack on 14 May relieved and returned to Bolton Camp. Casualties in this attack 28 men were killed.
    27 March. Moved to Courcelles and took part in an unsuccessful attack on Croiselles on 28 Mar relieved on 29 Mar and returned to Courcelles. Casualties one man was killed. 
  • 1-2 April. Offensive toward Bullecourt. The Bn position initially In area T18 of map 57B SW just NW of Croiselle. Casualties were 25 ORs killed and 42 wounded. There were 4 officers were killed and 3 wounded,  35 ORs killed in this period ie some of the wounded died.

    Location of 2nd Queens from map ref point 57B SW. T.18

 

  • 21 April. A second attack on Bullecourt was launched. One man was killed.
  • 7 May. Yet another attack on Bullecourt. One man was killed
  • 10-12 May. Attack to capture Bullecourt. The 2nd Bn advance on 12 May to the Bullecourt Church and held a line there until relieved. 

    Map from the war diary showing 2nd Bn positions at the Church

Casualties in this attack were 32 men killed 121 wounded and 10 missing and 2 Officers killed, and 4 wounded.

  • July. Courcelles the base but moved to St Leger into trenches.

    2nd Bn movements March-July 1917
  • August. Behind the lines in Training at Berles. At the end of the month entrained for Poperinghe in Belgium and then marched to Ouderdom.
  • 12 September back into France and into billets at Haut Arques. 15 Sept marched to Boisdinghem.,
  • 28 September. marched to Elmes.
  • 26th Sept. – 3rd Oct. Noordemhoek.(Battle of Broodeseinde)

Map from the war diary showing 2nd Bn positions at the Church

  • The 22nd Manchester’s in reserve as was its 7th Div. But on the 1st Oct. the 91stBde. takes over the right front line on Jetty Trench.
    4th Oct. The 2nd Bn in reserve as the attack began and the red line was gained by the 91st Bde. within two hours. The 2nd Bn dug into Jetty Trench
  • 5th–6th Oct. The line held by 91stBde.was subjected to accurate bombardment on the 5th and 6th. The supply of food and medicine was much impeded by this and incessant rain the wounded suffered great hardships. The 91st were relieved on the night of the 6th of Oct.
Casualties from War Diary
  • 8 October. Into billets at Dickiebusch.
Dickebusch (now Dikkebus) was a village in the Ypres Salient behind the front lines. It had one of the largest concentrations of troops in the years 1915-1917.

Dickebusch (now Dikkebus) was a village in the Ypres Salient behind the front lines. It had one

  • 23 October. 2nd Bn receive orders to be involved in attack on Ghevelut and Polderhoek.
  • 26 October. Charles was among the several casualties when the 2nd Battalion advanced near the Tower trench, due to confusion that may have led to the friendly fire being directed towards the Battalion. The war diary report indicates this confusion.

As a result of this confusion initially, Charles was reported missing and later declared Killed in action. The field where he fell is recorded by CWGC near Ghevulet and east of Tower Hamlets (see below)

The Queens line of attack and the Lewis House is clearly shown on this map

The exact location of where Charles fell is recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in this report.

the Concentration report showing where Charles’s body was found on the Trench Map 28.NE
The trench map with the body location on it

The trench map with the body location on it

Satellite view and approx. location of Charles’s body when found

Satellite view and approx. location of Charles’s body when found

Note: Joseph Blinko 1898 from Rochdale was with the 22nd Manchester Bn in the same Brigade as Charles and was wounded in this battle.

1919

WAR MEMORIAL BANBURY

14 July. Widow Ada is sent Charles effects including Army pay of 5 Pounds 9 shillings and 6 pence.

The Opening of the Banbury War Memoral in 1922 . Wonder if Ada attended this ceremony

The Opening of the Banbury War Memorial in 1922. I wonder if Ada attended this ceremony

MEDALS

Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal

Ada would have received this commemorative Plaque and a letter from the King
SOURCES

1. Ancestry and BFA database
2. War Diary 2nd Bn Queens Royal West Regiment

BURIAL

Buried or commemorated at TYNE COT CEMETERY
LII. H. 4.
Belgium

Note There appears to be no photo of Charle’s Headstone

GALLERY

There are service records in the National archives for this person they can be viewed and downloaded from their website https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Those comrades that also fell alongside Charles on 26th October 1917

KENDALL, Private, E C, 11735, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Grave Ref. Enclosure No.2 III. B. 10.

WOOLVEN, Lance Corporal, FREDERICK, T/265960, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Age 19. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Woolven, of 22, James St., Maidstone, Kent. Panel 14 to 17 and 162 to 162A.

WOOSTER, Private, JAMES ARTHUR, G/64186, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Age 19. Son of James and Rose Wooster, of 1, Nashville Cottages, School Passage, Southall, Middx. Panel 14 to 17 and 162 to 162A.

KENDALL, Private, E C, 11735, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Grave Ref. Enclosure No.2 III. B. 10.

McCARTHY, Private, THOMAS JAMES, T/203206, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Age 19. Son of Mrs. Emily McCarthy, of 388, Cable St., Shadwell, London. Grave Ref. XIII. B. 5.

HARDING, Private, HUGH HAVELOCK, 1009, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died of wounds 26 October 1917. Age 28. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Harding, of Priory Lane, Frensham,

Farnham. Grave Ref. XXII. C. 18A.
ANDREWS, Lance Corporal, G W, 24812, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Grave Ref. III. F. 12.

BARLOW, Lance Corporal, E, 4886, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Age 23. Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Barlow, of 76, Cottage Yard, Clay Hills, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. Grave Ref. VI. H. 19.

ELLIOTT, Private, JOSEPH BENJAMIN, G/24030, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Grave Ref. IV. L. 6.

FRANCIS, Serjeant, SIDNEY, 9736, “C” Coy. 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Age 28. Son of Charles Francis, of St. Peter’s Cottage, Sandy Lane, Maybury, Woking, Surrey. Grave Ref. VI. G. 4.

MORRIS, Private, C E, G/64216, 2

SMITH, Lance Corporal, W, G/15354, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Killed in action 26 October 1917. Grave Ref. III. B 4.

TUTT, Corporal, S C, G/24800, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). formerly 6th Bn., The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) 26 October 1917. Age 27. Husband of Mary Ann Tutt, of The Cottage, The Forstel, Preston, Canterbury, Kent. Grave Ref. V. L. 4.

WEST, Corporal, PERCY JAMES, 22363, 2nd Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 26 October 1917. Age 23. Son of Mrs. E. O. Mileham, of 45, Brighton Rd., Newhaven, Sussex. Born at Purley, Surrey. Grave Ref. IV. F. 9