Family pair:

Victory Medal 1914-19 (2) (Capt. E. U. Green; 2 Lieut. V. U. Green) good very fine (3) £120-160

Edward Unsworth Green was born on 27 January 1880, the second son of Edward Unsworth and Annie Louisa Green. The family lived at 112 Church Road, Richmond, Surrey, the father a Wine Merchant.

The young Edward Unsworth was educated at Dulwich College and then became a Brewers Clerk with Whitbread Brewers living at the Dulwich College Mission, 7 Flodden Road, Camberwell. On the 18th January 1900 he was admitted as a Member of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC). On 4 August 1914, aged 34, he was mobilised in Armoury House, Finsbury and on the 8th August 1914 was promoted Company Quarter Master Sergeant. On 18 September 1914 he went to France as part of the 1/1st Battalion H.A.C. Infantry where he took part in the battles of Rouge Croix and Croix Barbe. In June the 1/1st were in trenches in Zouave Wood and on 15 June took part in the attack on “Y” Wood where they suffered over 200 casualties. On 25 December 1915 he was commissioned to be Temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. On 3 July 1916 the 9th Battalion Loyal North Lancs., as part of 74th Brigade, 25th Division, took part in operations in the La Boiselle Sector, fighting around Bouzincourt, Senlis, Forceville and Mailly-Maillet. On 7 July Captain Edward Unsworth Green, while attacking from the Hessian Trench was twice wounded. First hit in the back of he head in the advance on La Boiselle, and later in the day hit by a ‘Shrapnel Gun Shot’ in the left knee - ‘Both clean wounds’. In recognition of his actions during the Somme Battle he was subsequently awarded the Military Cross. He was evacuated from Le Havre to Southampton on 12 July and, following hospital treatment, went on leave to Richmond. On 7 December 1916 a Medical Board pronounced, ‘He has recovered and fit for General Service’. He was posted to the 3rd Lincolnshire (Reserve) Battalion in Felixstowe where on the 7th January he had a second attack of influenza suffering from ‘Abdominal pains and vomiting’. On his recovery he rejoined the 9th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire and was killed in action on 10 August 1917, at the Battle of Westhoek. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Vivian Unsworth Green was also born at 112 Church Road, Richmond on 29 August 1883. He also attended Dulwich College and in 1914 was living at the Dulwich College Mission in Camberwell. After leaving School he joined the Civil Service of South Africa (London Office) but on 29 August 1914, aged 30, he joined the 10th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He was promoted Lance-Corporal on 18 December 1914 and went with the Battalion to France on 30 June 1915 serving in 8 Platoon, B Company.

On 4 November 1915 he returned to England to Pembroke College, Cambridge for officer training, and on 15 November 1915, although his ‘left foot was slightly flat’, he was granted a commission in the 15th Middlesex Regiment. On 10 October 1916 he sailed to Palestine and was attached to the 2/10th Battalion Middlesex Regiment. On 26 March 1917 at the First Battle of Gaza the British launched a determined infantry attack over 400 yards of open ground. They reached within 1000 yards of Gaza but were cut down by Turkish machine gun and rifle fire and were eventually forced to retire. It was judged to be a Turkish victory. The British lost 467 killed and 2447 wounded and among those killed was 2nd Lieutenant Vivian Unsworth Green. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

Edward and Annie Unsworth Green were to lose three sons in the War. Their youngest son - 463 Company Sergeant-Major R. Unsworth Green, also in the H.A.C., was shot by a sniper and died instantly aged 26 on 23 April 1915. He was buried at the Voormezeele Enclosure No 3. The names of all three sons are recorded on the Richmond War Memorial, and in St. Mathias Church. The eldest son, the Rev Linley Unsworth Green who was a Chaplain 4th Class survived the War and was Mentioned in Dispatches in the London Gazette 27 August 1918. Sold with original Army Council telegram expressing sympathy at the loss of 2nd Lieutenant V. U. Green; together with a quantity of copied service papers and other research.