|
GS/79193 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
William Green, was born in Sudbury around 1900 and was the second youngest child of Edward Coote Green and Ada Rhoda Green. His father was a stone mason and the family lived at 49 North Street where Edward Green had his business. William had three brothers and two sisters and by 1911 the family had moved to 19 Alexandra Road, Grimsby in Lincolnshire but they had returned to Suffolk to Haverhill by the time William enlisted in Ipswich. His older brother Ransome Coote Green, served with the ‘Grimsby Chums’ Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. He was badly wounded during the Battle of the Somme in July 1916 but survived the war.
William was attached to a Graduated Battalion (formerly 136404). Graduated Battalions were formed in the summer of 1917 for specialist training for infantrymen under the age of nineteen who had completed their basic training and were attached to each regiment. He later transferred to the 9th Battalion, which formed part of 36th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division.
In September 1918 the Allies launched large scale offensive operations to advance and break the Hindenburg Line system. On 18 September after a rest in the area of Manacourt the Division was ordered to renew an attack on Epehy, where enemy strongholds at Malaisse Farm and Fishers Keep caused heavy casualties. Over the next few days further attacks were made against heavy defences with intense fighting.
William was killed in action aged 18 on 21 September 1918 and lies buried in Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery, Epehy, Somme, France. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid by the grave in March 2007. He is also remembered on the Haverhill War Memorial.
Back to Roll of Honour
|
