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| Lt Green's nephew, John Ollerton, has compiled a record of his life and service, including researching the circumstances of his death - a task with which we were very happy to help. To read this family document please see below. | | Lt Green's nephew, John Ollerton, has compiled a record of his life and service, including researching the circumstances of his death - a task with which we were very happy to help. To read this family document please see below. |
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− | Lieutenant
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− | Arthur Green
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− | Introduction
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− | When I was a child two ghosts lived in my grandparents’ house. My parents and my grandparents
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− | would often speak of my mother's two brothers, John and Arthur, but they could never answer my
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− | questions about what had happened to them. The truth was they couldn’t. Nobody knew what had
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− | happened to them. Two years ago, having found out what had happened to his brother, I decided to find
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− | out what had happened to Arthur. My research led me to the National Archives in London and to
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− | Normandy. It has been a fascinating and emotional journey. I was expecting to be researching Arthur’s
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− | lost life but in the end I feel that I have found him. There are no longer any ghosts.
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− | Childhood
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− | Arthur James Green was born on 5 July 1923. He was the third child
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− | of Arthur and Elsie Green of Leigh in Lancashire. His brother John
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− | was four years older than him and his sister Jessie two years older.
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− | He grew up on his parents’ farm. He had a happy childhood.
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− | Arthur attended Leigh Grammar School from 1932 to 1939. One of his
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− | classmates, Trevor Williams, remembers him as follows: Well, Arthur
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− | was in my Form at LGS and we sat at the same table during our dinner
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− | there. He was rather quiet and studious and did quite a bit of swotting in
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− | books during the lunch rather than making the raucous noise that was
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− | prevalent. He was always very pleasant, easy to get on with, but one would
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− | never get to know him intimately.
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− | On leaving school he joined Williams Deacons Bank as a clerk and
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− | attended Metropolitan College from 1939 until he joined the army in 1942. At the same time he served
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− | in the Home Guard.
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− | Top Left: Arthur with his elder brother John and his sister Jessie!
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− | Top Centre: Arthur with his mother and Jessie! Top Right: Arthur aged about 12 Above: Arthur aged about 17
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− | The Army
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− | Arthur’s army career was short. It began in Beverley, North Yorkshire in September 1942 and ended 21
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− | months later in Juvigny sur Seulles, Normandy.
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− | On joining up Arthur’s preferences were: first the Royal Armoured Corps,
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− | second Infantry and third the Intelligence Corps. He was successful in his first
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− | choice. On enlistment on 17 September 1942 he was posted to the Royal
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− | Armoured Corps 53rd Training Regiment in Beverley. He undertook basic
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− | training in Beverley, Catterick and Black Down camp near Okehampton in
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− | Devon before being selected for officer training.
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− | On selection for officer training his Military Character was assessed as ‘Very
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− | Good,’ his medical as ‘A1’ and his Power of Leadership as ‘Should Develop,’ He
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− | had a fair knowledge of French grammar and some German.
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− | On 24 April 1943 Arthur was admitted to an Office Cadet Training Unit (OCTU) at Sandhurst. He left
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− | on 6 November on being granted an emergency commission as second lieutenant. At this time he
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− | transferred from the RAC to infantry. He undertook an Infantry Training
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− | Course in Dunbar between January and March 1943. On 1 April he was
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− | transferred to No.2 Battalion of the Loyal Regiment, which was stationed at
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− | Killyleagh, Northern Ireland.
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− | On 5 June Arthur started a Battle Course in Killyleagh where exercises
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− | simulated the invasion of Northern France with different units representing
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− | German and British forces. He didn’t complete the course. He and nine other
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− | officers were transferred to other regiments and sent to France whilst the rest of
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− | the regiment was sent to Italy. The extract from the War Diary of the Loyal
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− | Regiment below shows his posting to No. 41 R.H.U. (Regimental Holding Unit). From this he was
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− | posted to the No. 1 Battalion, Tyneside Scottish, Black Watch, to make up the number of officers
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− | following losses in battle.
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− | On leaving home Arthur had said to his mother that he would become “Cannon fodder for the Boche.”
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− | This was to prove tragically prophetic. He landed in Normandy between 19 and 29 June, probably on
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− | ‘Sword’ beach near Lion sur Mer. He was killed two weeks later.
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− | Arthur’s service file, obtained from Army Records, is summarised on the next page. It appears to be
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− | incomplete and inaccurate in some respects:
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− | No mention is made of Arthur’s posting in Northern Ireland
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− | His family remembers that some of Arthur’s training took place in Northern Ireland where he was
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− | billeted in the home of Bert Orr. The file does not mention Northern Ireland but the War Diary of 2
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− | Battalion, Loyal Regiment reveals that he was posted to Killyleagh, N. Ireland on 1April 1944.
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− | No mention is made of Arthur’s promotion to Lieutenant
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− | The war diary for 9 May states: 2/Lt. AJ Green, having completed six months’ service was promoted to
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− | lieutenant with effect from 6 May 1944.
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− | It is not clear about Arthur’s connection with the York and Lancaster
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− | Regiment
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− | The name of the parent regiment in Arthur’s file has been altered by the
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− | crossing out Royal Armoured Corps and the substitution of the York and
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− | Lancaster Regiment but it does not record that him ever being posted to it. On
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− | transfer to the Loyal Regiment he is recorded as being transferred from Y&L
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− | (see previous page). On the other hand we have no photographs of him
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− | wearing York and Lancaster insignia. Just what connection has with the
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− | regiment whose name is inscribed on his gravestone is unclear.
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− | Events and postings Date Location
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− | Home Guard (18 months experience)
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− | Enlisted (Number 14290046) and posted to General Service Corps 17 September 1942 Beverley
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− | Transferred to 53rd Training Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) 28 October 1942 Beverley
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− | Recommended for Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU) 7 December 1942 Catterick
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− | Posted to Pre-OCTU Training 28 January 1943 Catterick
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− | Upgraded to Class 1 19 March 1943 Black Down
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− | No 1 Pre-OCTU Training Unit 23 March 1943 Black Down
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− | Ceased to be attached (CTBA) on posting to Sandhurst 100 OCTU 24 April 1943 Sandhurst
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− | Discharged on being appointed to a commission. Granted emergency
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− | commission of Second Lieutenant.
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− | 6 November 1943 Sandhurst
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− | Posted to 61 Training Regiment RAC 16 November 1943
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− | OCTU Infantry course Dunbar No 1 Infantry School 31 January to 31
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− | March 1944
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− | Dunbar
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− | Transferred to Infantry of the line. Posted to 2 Loyals 1 April 1944 Killyleagh
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− | Promoted to Lieutenant 9 May 1944 Killyleagh
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− | Battle Course No1 Infantry school - not completed 5 June 1944 Killyleagh
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− | Posted to No41 RHU (Reinforcement Holding Unit) and TOS (Taking
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− | on Strength) X4 list
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− | 16 June 1944 Killyleagh
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− | Posted to draft CAPBA 19 June 1944
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− | Posted to 1 Battalion Tyneside Scottish 30 June 1944 Rauray
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− | Missing in action 8 July 1944 Juvigny sur Seulles
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− | Reported killed in action 9 July 1944 Juvigny sur Seulles
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− | Summary of Arthur’s Service File
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− | Notes:
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− | 1.The entries in green text are not included in the service file but added based on information in the Loyal
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− | Regiment’s War Diary
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− | 2.I have been unable to find the meaning of ‘CAPBA’ It could be Canadian Army Posting from British Army
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− | Photographs
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− | There are not many photographs of Arthur’s army career and they are not annotated. However, by
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− | comparing them with his service file it is possible to estimate where they were taken.
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− | The two photos above and the one below left were probably taken in the winter of 1942-3 when
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− | Arthur was stationed in Catterick. The photograph on the left was taken in the Market Square, Kirkby
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− | Stephen, Cumbria whilst he was training with the RAC. He has not yet been commissioned.
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− | The photo below right may have been taken in November 1943 when Arthur was at Sandhurst. He
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− | is fourth from the left in the middle row.
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− | Photographs
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− | This is that last photo taken of Arthur and his brother John. John his wearing the ribbon of the DFC,
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− | which was awarded in March 1944. Arthur is wearing a single star on his epaulettes signifying that he
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− | has been commissioned second lieutenant but he is wearing an RAC cap badge. This suggests that it
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− | was taken before his transfer to the Loyal Regiment on 1 April 1944. John was killed when his Mosquito
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− | aircraft crashed into the sea on 23 August 1945.
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− | These are the last three photos that were taken of Arthur.
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− | They are likely to have been taken in Northern Ireland where
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− | he was stationed from April to June 1944.
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− | He is wearing the Loyal Regiment cap badge and two stars
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− | on his epaulettes which means that they must have been taken
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− | after his promotion on 9 May and before 16 June when he left
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− | the regiment.
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− | Normandy
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− | The map above shows approximately the route that Arthur would have taken in France. In all he
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− | travelled about 35 miles. It is not possible to say exactly when or where he landed in Normandy but
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− | it was probably near Lion-sur Mer.
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− | Arthur was joining the Tyneside Scottish Regiment which was part of 70th Brigade
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− | and 49th Division which were attached to the Canadian Army. The 49th (West
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− | Riding)Infantry Division was nicknamed ‘The Polar Bears’. Their insignia is shown
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− | opposite. The Canadian Army landed on ‘Sword Beach’ near Lion-sur Mer. He
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− | joined up with 1st Battalion Tyneside Scottish on 30 June in Rauray. The route that
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− | he took to get there would have been to the west of Caen which was still in German
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− | hands.
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− | The Battle of Rauray
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− | Three weeks after the Normandy invasion the
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− | British and Canadian armies had made slow
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− | progress in fighting their way forward against
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− | powerful and well entrenched German forces.
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− | Caen, which had supposed to have been
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− | captured on D-Day, was still in enemy hands.
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− | Field Marshal Montgomery decided on a fullscale
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− | operation codenamed ‘Operation Epsom’ to
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− | drive forward in a southerly direction to the west
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− | of Caen. To protect the right flank of the invading
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− | force, 30th Corps was given the task of securing
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− | the high ground to the south of the village of
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− | Rauray in an operation codenamed ‘Martlet’.
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− | No 1 Battalion Tyneside Scottish took part in
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− | Operation Martlet by fighting its way south, with
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− | support from heavy artillery and naval guns from
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− | battleships offshore. By 28 June it had established
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− | defensive positions south of the village of Rauray.
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− | During its advance the battalion had suffered
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− | heavy casualties and needed reinforcements,
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− | particularly with officers.
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− | On 30 June Lieutenant. Arthur Green was
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− | transferred to the Tyneside Scottish Battalion
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− | from the Loyal Regiment. This turned out to be
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− | the day before the battalion’s biggest battle of the
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− | war.
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− | It was apparent that the 2nd SS-Panzer Division
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− | ‘Das Reich’ and the 9th SS Panzer Division
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− | ‘Hohenstaufen’ were strengthening their forces
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− | and were about to launch a counter attack.
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− | The Tyneside Scottish Battalion comprised four companies; A, B, C and D. Arthur joined ‘C’ Company.
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− | Together with the rest of ‘C’ Company he took up a defensive position 500 metres south of the village
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− | of Rauray on the right of the Tyneside Scottish line. ‘C’ Company would have comprised an HQ
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− | platoon and three other platoons; numbers 13,14 and 15, each of which would have had up to 21 men.
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− | We do not know which of these platoons Arthur was in but it is most likely either the HQ platoon or 15
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− | platoon.
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− | The photographs that I have used to illustrate the Battle of Rauray were taken in similar situations to those which
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− | he would have experienced.
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− | At the start of the battle ‘C’ Company’ was dug
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− | in behind a hedgerow with an area of bocage
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− | (small fields surrounded by embankments) in
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− | front of them. The bocage made them vulnerable
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− | to the enemy infiltrating the fields behind them.
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− | To the left of ‘C’ Company, ‘B’ Company held a
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− | key position in front of an open field which was
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− | vulnerable to attack by enemy tanks.‘B’
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− | Company had this critical area covered by
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− | antitank guns.
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− | At 5.30 Major Angus, who commanded ‘C’
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− | Company, reported that they were under mortar
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− | and machine gun fire. The battle had started.
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− | At 6.40 the first German attack began. ‘C’
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− | Company reported that it was under attack from
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− | both tanks and infantry using the cover of a
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− | smoke screen and an artillery barrage. The two
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− | forward platoons (13 and 14) were engaged in a
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− | violent fight with the Panzer-Grenadiers. 13
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− | platoon was suffering heavy casualties from
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− | enemy machine gun fire. Later Lieutenant
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− | Wallace and his platoon sergeant were killed and
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− | 13 platoon was overrun.
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− | By 7.25 ‘C’ Company was finding itself short of
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− | men and its forward platoons were becoming
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− | isolated. On the right 13 platoon appeared to be
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− | surrounded and on the left 14 platoon had been
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− | pushed to the left leaving the way open to enemy
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− | infiltration. To ‘C’ Company’s left, ‘A’ and ‘B’
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− | companies were under similar pressure. Sherman
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− | tanks of the 24th Lancers were brought in to
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− | support them.
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− | By 8.22 ‘C’ Company’s position was beginning to
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− | look untenable. The two forward platoons were
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− | cut off and HQ and 15 platoon were being
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− | outflanked.
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− | At 8.32 the remains of ‘C’ Company were under
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− | such intense pressure that they were forced to
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− | withdraw to Rauray village. It was later
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− | established that some members of 13 and 14
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− | platoons had not withdrawn and were left
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− | isolated in their forward positions.
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− | For the next three hours the battle continued
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− | with Tyneside Scottish sustaining heavy
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− | casualties. However with the support from
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− | artillery bombardment of the enemy positions,
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− | ‘B’ Company managed to hold onto its key
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− | position in front of the open field and destroyed
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− | many German tanks.
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− | At 16.40 three flame throwing ‘Crocodile’ tanks
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− | were brought into use to eliminate the enemy
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− | machine gun and sniper positions in front of ‘C’
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− | Company. At 18.10 a British counter attack was
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− | begun, supported by ‘Crocodiles’ and tanks.
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− | By 21.00 the battalion’s original forward
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− | positions had been regained and Tyneside
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− | Scottish were withdrawn from the front.
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− | During twelve hours of bitter fighting the
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− | Germans had suffered a heavy defeat. It is
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− | estimated that they put about 50 tanks and
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− | assault guns into the attack and lost 30 of
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− | them.The Armoured Brigade which was
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− | supporting Tyneside Scottish lost only five tanks.
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− | They lost two officers killed, five wounded and
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− | two missing. Thirty-one other ranks were killed,
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− | seventy-nine wounded and thirteen are missing.
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− | There is no estimate of the number of German
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− | losses but given that they did not have the
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− | advantage of defensive positions, their losses are
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− | likely to be higher. The attack on Rauray is
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− | considered by historians to be the turning point
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− | in the Battle of Normandy. It was the Germans’
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− | last big opportunity to break through the Allied
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− | front.
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− | During the evening, the day’s action was
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− | mentioned in a radio broadcast made by Lord
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− | ‘Haw-Haw’ of the German Forces Network. He
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− | declared ‘You Polar Bear Butchers!’ He went on to
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− | state that if any man wearing a Polar Bear (49th
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− | Division) insignia on his shoulder is captured he
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− | will be shot right away without any trial
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− | whatsoever, as British soldiers, he claimed, had
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− | massacred surrendering SS-Panzer crews without
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− | mercy. This threat may have had fatal
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− | consequences for Arthur and two others a week
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− | later.
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− | ! ! !
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− | The Rauray battlefield today is unrecognisable
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− | from what it must have been like at the time.
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− | Since 1944 the bocage field pattern has been
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− | erased from most of the landscape. Hedgerows
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− | like those in the distance would have occupied
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− | the open field which can be seen in the
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− | foreground. This photograph is taken from the
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− | position at which Arthur’s Company was dug in
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− | at the start of the battle. The German attack came
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− | from the direction of the trees at the left of the
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− | horizon.
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− | On 3 July the division was taken out of the line
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− | and sent for recuperation and reorganisation to
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− | Ducy Ste Marguerite. On 5 July Arthur
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− | celebrated his 21st birthday. He wrote to his
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− | parents to say that he spent the day in a trench
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− | with his batman drinking something nonalcoholic.
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− | On the day after his birthday the battalion
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− | moved forward from Ducy to take up positions
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− | north of the deserted village at Le Pont de
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− | Juvigny. 500 yards in front of them was the
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− | Château de Juvigny which was believed to be the
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− | German HQ. It was being slowly demolished by
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− | allied artillery.
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− | The Reconnaissance Patrol
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− | EXTRACT FROM WAR DIARY OF 1st
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− | BATTALION TYNESIDE SCOTTISH,
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− | BLACK WATCH
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− | 8 July
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− | Preparations were made for reconnaissance
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− | patrols to be made at night. ... They were to
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− | be ‘sneak’ reconnaissance patrols of one
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− | officer and two other ranks each. One patrol
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− | was to be led by Lieutenant Green of ‘C’
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− | Company. The ‘other ranks’ in the patrol
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− | were Private Winyard and probably Private
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− | Ritson.
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− | The document above sets out the object of
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− | the patrol as: to listen in at a church and other
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− | buildings and to pinpoint enemy positions and
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− | strength.
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− | The route to be taken was from the B Company forward position, to the bridge at Juvigny, following the
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− | river to the church and returning by the same route. The password was “Rome Burns”.
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− | The photograph shows the route taken by the patrol. The River Seulles flows along the line of trees on
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− | the right. The patrol was to followed the line of the hedge on the left as far as the buildings which lie
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− | just beyond the tall trees in the centre of the picture.
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− | The patrol went out at 23:59hrs. At 02:09hrs on
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− | the following morning Private Winyard returned
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− | alone. His report is on the next page.
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− | The map opposite is the one used by the patrol.
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− | The Pont de Juvigny, the river and the church and
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− | other buildings that were to be investigated for
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− | enemy occupation are marked. The ‘other
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− | buildings’ consisted mainly of the presbytery to
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− | the church which is now a private house.
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− | The areas ringed in red are the positions occupied
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− | by A,B,C and D companies of Tyneside Scottish.
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− | ! ! !
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− | ! ! ! Presbytery
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− | The photograph opposite, which was taken
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− | before D-Day, shows the route taken by the
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− | patrol.
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− | ! ! ! Pont de Juvigny
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− | ! ! ! River Seulles
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− | ! ! ! Presbytery
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− | ! !
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− | ! Church
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− | !
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− | ! Château de Juvigny
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− | The photograph opposite was taken
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− | from the position occupied by B
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− | Company where the patrol started
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− | from. The church can be seen above
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− | the trees on the left. The presbytery is
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− | just visible behind the grey roofs on
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− | the right. On the night of the patrol
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− | there was almost a full moon but the
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− | amount of cloud was not recorded.
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− | ! ! Church
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− | ! ! Presbytery
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− | The First Patrol Report reads as
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− | follows:
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− | At 02:09hrs Private Winyard returned
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− | alone from ‘C’ Company’s patrol (See
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− | Appendix I) he reported as follows: The
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− | patrol moved down field parallel with the
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− | river. 200 yards. from road an explosion
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− | occurred on the left. They lay quiet for 15
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− | minutes then moved forward along the
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− | line of the hedge. They reached the
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− | buildings at 848169. They mounted the
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− | top of the bank then Lieutenant. Green
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− | fired a burst of Sten and he and one man
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− | dived down bank leaving Private
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− | Winyard to cover their withdrawal. As
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− | they dived through the hedge an
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− | explosion took place. Private Winyard
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− | followed but could find no trace of the
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− | others. He moved back to the two
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− | prearranged R.V.s waited 1/4 hour at
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− | each but found no trace of the other two.
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− | He heard sounds of enemy in the
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− | buildings before he withdrew and later
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− | two Spandaus (heavy machine guns)
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− | seemed to be firing from the buildings.
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− | At 15:15hrs another patrol went out
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− | under the cover of mortar fire. Two
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− | snipers went out on the route of the
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− | ‘C’ Company patrol of the night
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− | before to see if any trace of the
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− | missing officer and man could be
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− | established.
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− | The Second Patrol Report reads as
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− | follows:
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− | At 20.10 hours one sniper returned and
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− | reported as follows: One wounded man
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− | was seen in field in front of buildings
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− | 848669. Private Gibson crawled over to
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− | man, raised him up and gave him a
| |
− | drink of water. From the build of the
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− | wounded man it appeared to be
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− | Lieutenant. Green. Then a shot rang out
| |
− | and Lieutenant Green was hit again.
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− | Private Gibson dashed for the hedge then
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− | a number of shots were fired. The other
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− | sniper tried to contact Gibson but could
| |
− | not do so and returned to Le Pont de
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− | Juvigny where he contacted D.L.I.
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− | (Durham Light Infantry) Post. He
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− | then returned to scene of shooting
| |
− | accompanied by a D.L.I. sniper but they
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− | found no trace of either Lieutenant.
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− | Green or Private Gibson.
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− | The two men who were killed with
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− | Arthur were probably Private John
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− | Ritson, (known as ‘Jackie’) of Lintz
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− | Colliery Co.Durham aged 25 and
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− | Private John Arthur Gibson aged 28
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− | from Sheffield. They are the only two
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− | soldiers from the 1st Battalion
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− | Tyneside Scottish who are recorded
| |
− | as having been killed on that day.
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− | They were both married.
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− | The photograph opposite shows the
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− | bank which rises up from the field to
| |
− | the presbytery garden. There is a change of level of about twelve feet.
| |
− | The photograph above, taken from the top of the bank, shows the field in which Arthur was injured by
| |
− | the explosion. It is possible that he or the other soldier stepped on a mine or a grenade was thrown at
| |
− | them from the top of the bank. Whatever happened, Arthur lay injured in this field until he was
| |
− | reached by Private Gibson fourteen hours later. He may have died here.
| |
− | The bodies of Arthur Green and the two other missing men were discovered in the cellar of the Château
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− | de Juvigny on 19 July after it had been captured by Tyneside Scottish. Its cellar had been used by the
| |
− | 47th Panzer Regiment as an HQ and a field hospital. The château was built in the 1743. In 1944, as now,
| |
− | it was the home of the Marquise de Blangy. The above photo was taken before the war. It has since been
| |
− | reconstructed as a single storey building having been severely damaged by allied bombardment.
| |
− | The above extract from the intelligence summary in the War Diary reads: A private in the Intelligence
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− | Section found the bodies of Lt Green and the two men who had been missing since 8th/9th July. They had
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− | obviously been shot
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− | The private who found the bodies was Private Leonard G. Baverstock, the father of Kevin Baverstock,
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− | author of the book ’Breaking the Panzers’. Kevin Baverstock recalls his father describing his discovery as
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− | follows: He said very little, just "They'd been shot", but he said it in disbelief. He appeared as moved as I ever
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− | saw him and was quiet for several moments afterwards.”
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− | ! ! ! The château cellar today
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− | Private Baverstock’s testimony raises the possibility that the three men were not killed in the field but
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− | in captivity in the château cellar. The wording and emotion of his evidence suggests that the three were
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− | killed in the château.
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− | ! ! ! ! !
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− | ! ! ! ! ! ! !
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− | A lost son
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− | The telegram above brought the news of
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− | Arthur’s death to his parents. The distress that it
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− | caused can hardly be imagined.
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− | The photo above right shows a cross bearing
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− | the name Tyneside Scottish, Black Watch. The
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− | name was changed to York & Lancaster
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− | Regiment when the cross was replaced by a
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− | gravestone.
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− | For at a year after his death, Arthur’s mother
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− | sought solace in writing letters to her son which
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− | she placed amongst his possessions in his
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− | bedroom. Ten nights after hearing of his death
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− | she wrote the letter shown opposite. It reads:
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− | My Dear Arthur
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− | Tonight I have failed in my undertaking to bear
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− | your departure from this life.
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− | I know I must try to overcome my grief. I pray for
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− | God’s help, and I know I must really try, myself.
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− | I would not have your life troubled by my longing
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− | for your presence here but will again try to live my life
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− | in God’s way, so I may join you when God decrees I
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− | may.
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− | God keep you Arthur my son. You were only lent
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− | to us.
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− | ! Your loving mother
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− | ! ! and father
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− |
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− | John Ollerton - 2012 johnollerton@yahoo.co.uk
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− | Acknowledgements
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− | This account of Arthur Green’s service history is drawn from War
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− | Diaries from the National Archives, family records, Arthur’s service
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− | file, and historical accounts of the period. The photographs of the
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− | Battle of Rauray have been taken from Wikipedia, most of the others
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− | are from family records.
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− | I am particularly grateful to the following people who have helped
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− | me:
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− | •Jessie Ollerton
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− | •Kevin Baverstock - Author of Breaking the Panzers
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− | •Tom Renouf - 1st Battalion Tyneside Scottish
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− | •Jane Davies - Curator, Lancashire Infantry Museum
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− | •John L. Dixon - 70th Brigade Researcher
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− | •Stéphane Jacquet - Museum of the Battle of Tilly sur Seulles
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− | •Geoffroy Jegou-Dulaz - Owner of the Château de Juvigny
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− | •Philipe Bouteloup - Owner of the Presbytery of Juvigny
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− | •Trevor Williams - Arthur’s former classmate at Leigh Grammar
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− | School
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− | •Ian Gibson-Ling - Son of John Gibson
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− | •Vivienne Coulter - Niece of John Ritson
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Lt Green's nephew, John Ollerton, has compiled a record of his life and service, including researching the circumstances of his death - a task with which we were very happy to help. To read this family document please see below.