CHARLES GREEN
16344, Lance Corporal, Charles Harold Green, 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
Born on 27 December 1895 at Fort St George, Madras, India, son of Sergeant Major, John and Mary Jane Green (nee Parker). Charles had a further six siblings born in India, along with Ethel Violet born at Chester and Doris and Gladys Winifred who were born at Macclesfield.
On their return to England, Charles is shown to be a spinning operative living at Mill Hall, Albert Street, Congleton, though the 1911 census shows his postal address as 7th Battalion Cheshire Regiment, Drill Hall, Congleton.
Charles attested at Macclesfield, he would have already been a serving soldier at the outbreak of war, for he was in one of the very early drafts to enter France, 13/08/1914.
The battalion war diary for September 1916 includes a memo sent to the Commander of the battalion we reads:
2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards: As your Brigadier I wish to say in a few words how deeply I appreciate the gallant work done by you in the recent operation at GINCHY. On the 12th September you took over GINCHY Trenches, and the following night you drove the Germans out of GINCHY ORCHARD; this work caused you one hundred casualties but by your fine work you cleared the ground for the advance on the 15th September, and ensured that it would not be held up at the very beginning. On the 15th September your first advance was through a heavy artillery barrage, but owing to the splendid discipline of your Regiment, you went through it as if on parade. Your opportunity came later on when you cleared trenches at the point of the bayonet having run out of bombs and when you charged a trench strongly held and in the face of machine gun fire. You showed the Germans what they have to expect when they meet the pick of the British Army. In the near future you may be called upon to do as much again and I know that you will not fail.
Signed. G. E. Pereira, Brigade General, Commanding, 1st Guards Brigade.
Charles was killed in this action on the SOMME, Thursday, 14 September 1916, aged 20 years.
Medals: 1914 Star and Clasp, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Lance Corporal, Charles Harold Green has no known resting place and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
C.W.G.C. Ref: – Pier and Face 8D
Also refer to
- Bollington Troops pre WWI
- Photos of Bollington Scouts pre WW1 from Heritage Centre
- ‘Congleton Troops Pre WWI
- Photos from Barnswood archive Macclesfield WW1
- ‘Big Hats, Shorts and Dyb Dyb Dyb’ – a history of Macclesfield and Congleton Scouts by Norman Gosling
- ‘Big Hats, Shorts and Dyb Dyb Dyb’ – a history of Macclesfield and Congleton Scouts by Norman Gosling