William Green
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William was born on 1st July 1872 at Sneinton Nottingham. He married Eliza Hooton (b. 1879, Nottingham) on 29 July 1899 at Sneinton St Matthias, Nottingham, and they had four children, one of whom died in infancy. All the children were born in Nottingham: William Charles b. 1899 (O/N/D) bap. Sneinton St Matthias 28 November 1899 d. 1900 (J/F/M); Maud b. 1903 (J/A/S), Lilian birth registered 1906 (J/F/M) and Doris b. 1907 (J/A/S). The family has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census but in 1911 they were living at 28 Birchwood Road, New Sawley, Derbyshire: William a railway dig man (Midland Railway), Eliza sewing machinist, Maud (7), Lilian (5) and Doris (3). Following William’s death, his wife and family lived at 90 Moffat Street, off Pym Street, St Ann's, Nottingham.
William Green was a veteran soldier who had received medals for his time in India and during the Boer Wars. He re-enlisted in Nottingham on 4th September 1914 aged 42. He was posted to the Sherwood Foresters but was transferred on 16th September 1914 to the Royal Marines Light Infantry. He joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 6th February 1915 and saw action in Gallipoli. William was killed in action on 1 May 1915. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey & Gallipoli (Panel 2 to 7).
RN&RM War Graves Roll: DOB 1 July 1877 RND Casualties of the Great War: DOB 1 July 1872 1911 Census: age 37 (abt. 1874) Green was one of 'Kitchener's Marines' who were transferred from the Sherwood Foresters to the RMLI. Des Turner notes '600 RMLI transfers came from 2 regiments - 200 from the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) and 400 from the Sherwood Foresters. They were predominantly ex-miners and labourers, fit men wanted for their ability to dig trenches and tunnels. The 200 KOYLI recruits were transferred to Plymouth Division RMLI and were given service numbers PLY/1(S) to PLY200(S). This was also the case for the Sherwood Foresters 200 who were dispatched to Portsmouth where already 30 men were recruited and so they became PO/31(S) to PO/230(S). 200 remaining Foresters went to Chatham and were numbered CH/1 to CH/200(S).' Nottingham Evening Post, 22 June 1915: photograph with caption: 'Pte W Green, transferred from Sherwood Foresters to the Royal Marines, killed in action, late of New Sawley and Nottingham, held medals for India and Boer war, leaves widow and three children.'
