Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Private W. Green, Wiltshire Regiment, who was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (5694 Pte. W. Green, Wilts. Regt.); 1914 Star (5694 Pte. W. Green, 1/Wilts. R.); British War and Victory Medals (5694 Pte. W. Green, Wilts. R.), very fine and better (4) £400-450

Walter Green first saw active service in South Africa, being among a number of members of the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Wilstshire Regiment, sent to reinforce the 2nd Battalion; he also served on P.O.W. guard duties on St. Helena (Medal & 4 clasps).

But it was as a reinforcement to the 1st Battalion that he entered the French theatre of war on 23 October 1914, probably in time to join his unit in the fighting around Neuve Chapelle. In the following month the Battalion took up position in trenches at Hooge, where it repelled a determined enemy attack on the morning of the 17th, ‘D’ Company’s trench being overrun but retaken with the bayonet. Then in the new year, the Battalion was among others allocated to the Neuve Chapelle offensive in March, during the course of which Green was killed in action in a supporting attack at Spanbroek-Molen on the 12th, when the Wiltshires lost over 30 men killed and another 50 wounded.

Green was 32 years of age and left a widow, Ethel Emily Green of Middle Winterslow, near Salisbury. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate; sold with assorted research.