Christopher GREEN

  Death Notes:

Died of Wounds received 7th August 1917

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence, 3 Apr 1881, 14 Wood Street, St Ebbe, Oxford. ⁶ Age 4 Mnths

• Fact 1, 15 Jun 1889, Boney's Bridge, Osney, Oxford.
Edgar George Wilson an assistant to William Luff, the chemist at 24 Cornmarket, and lived with his parents and siblings at 14 Abbey Road in West Oxford. On Saturday 15 June 1889 he came home at lunchtime to help one of his sisters prepare for her music examination. Evidently he was not in a hurry to get back, because after leaving home at about 2.15pm he crossed the Botley Road and started on the the long riverside walk back to Cornmarket via Osney and Folly Bridge.
When he saw Christopher Green (9) and Thomas Hazell (10) in trouble in the water, he appears to have jumped in fully clothed to rescue them, even though he was not strong and could barely swim. The boys got out of the water, but Edgar drowned, possibly because one of his arms had become entangled in the boys' fishing lines.

A memorial was erected by Mr White of Walton Street on ground given by University College. The cost was £22, which was raised by subscriptions from about 2,000 Oxford citizens, 200 of whom attended the unveiling ceremony on 7 November 1889.

• Residence, 5 Apr 1891, 75 Blackfriars Rd, St Ebbe, Oxford. ⁷ Others Present:
Fredk Green (Father) 35, Eliza Green (Mother) 34, Frederick 13, Chris 11, Alice 8, James 7, George 5, Lily 4, Annie 2, Kate 7 mnths.

• Residence, 31 Mar 1901, 81 Blackfriars Rd, St Ebbe, Oxford. ⁸
Others Present:
Fredk Green (Father) 45, Eliza Green (Mother) 45, James Green 17, George Green 15, Emma Green 11, Kate Green 10, Lily Green 14, Louisa Green 8, Edith Green 5

• Residence, 4 Jun 1905, 3 Sillmans Row, Woodstock Road, Summertown, Oxford.

• Residence, 2 Apr 1911, 10 Black Horse Lane, Woodstock Road, Summertown, Oxford. ⁹
Also present:-
Ada 30, Elsie 5, William 4, Alice 3, Percival 1, Jesse Tritton (Father in Law) 65

• British Army, From May 1915 to Aug 1917. ¹⁰ Enlisting at Oxford, as Regimental Number 4981 / 201746 into the Territorials during May 1915 and was originally posted to the 3/4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, based in England. This was a Holding & Training Battalion and it was from this unit that he embarked to France during March 1916 into "C" Coy of the 1/4th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry, (145 Infantry Brigade, 48th Division). He served with the Battalion in the Front Line at, HEBUTERNE March to mid July 1916. THE SOMME (POZIERES, OVILLERS, AUCHONVILLERS, LE SARS) July 23rd to January 1917. HERBECOURT February. LA MAISONNETTE and HERBECOURT March . VILLERS-FAUCON and RONSSOY April . HERMIES May. DEMICOURT June until 2 July. Moving to the YPRES area on 31 July 1917. Wounded during the Battle of the Somme in August 1916. He was wounded again on the 7 Aug 1917, and died on the 8th August during the early days of the Third Battle of Ypres.

Territorial Force No 4981
Service No 201746

• Will: British Army Informal will, 10 Mar 1916.

• Wounded: France. ¹¹ Daily Casualty Lists. Reported In The Times 31 Aug 1916.

• War Diary: 1/4th Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry, 4 Aug 1917. ¹²
Dambre Camp, Vlamertinghe.
Brigade moved to DAMBRE CAMP, B27d 1.3, the battalion starting at 11.30 A.M. Order of march: H.Q. details, A, B, C, D. Route: to POPERINGHE , POPERINGHE - YPRES Rd, plank road H8.b35.95 - H3d2.3 N of VLAMERTINGHE and along ELVERDINGHE Rd, arrived 3.30 P.M. Found tents newly pitched and camp unimproved. Resting balance of day. A sunny day with occasional showers.

• War Diary: 1/4th Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry, 5 Aug 1917. ¹²
Dambre Camp, Vlamertinghe.
Early part of day quiet. Preparations to move into line for relief of 39^th Div. Battalion moved of at 7.30 P.M. Order: H.Q, A, B, C, D platoons at 5 minutes interval. Route: VLAMERTINGHE, plank road to I.1b.1.4, SALVATION CORNER, road to left to Bridge 2A, trench board track to KITCHENERS WOOD. Took over front line along STEENBEEK, C1158.2 to C1161.10 from 6^th Battalion CAMBRIDGESHIRE REG, and 5^th Bⁿ ROYAL HIGHLANDERS. [Ref: PILCKEM:1:10,000 EDN.1]. Several casualties sustained going in. Killed: 2/Lt. R.H WHITE MC & REGTL SGT. MAJOR. R. LANE. The latter had been with battalion since coming out. Wounded: LT. W.H. ENOCH, adjutant.

• War Diary: 1/4th Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry, 6 Aug 1917. ¹²
Steenbeek, Kitcheners Wood.
Relief reported completed at 1a.m. Dispositions: A & B left and right front companies, respectively: C & D in support. Former holding 2 Platoons at ADAMS FARM & 2 in CANOE TRENCH. Latter similarly distributed in THE BUND, a large concrete structure near ALBERTA FARM, & CANOPUS TRENCHES. Bⁿ H.Q. in CANOE TRENCH at C10d6.5. 1/4^th ROYAL BERKS in reserve in CANADIAN, CALF & CALIBAN TRENCHES. Battalion area shelled continuously during day, causing many casualties. 2/LT J. E BOYLE assumes adjutants duties. Clear bright day.

• War Diary: 1/4th Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry, 7 Aug 1917. ¹²
Steenbeek, Kitcheners Wood.
Front support Platoons at ADAMS FARM heavily shelled also H.Q. Front line seriously bombarded from 9 - 10 PM, left company suffering most, our artillery retaliate effectively. Relieved by 1/4^th ROYAL BERKS. Battalion goes into reserve in their position. Day casualties among officers: Killed, 2/LT. H. E GIBSON; wounded, LT- COL. RUPERT STEPHENS commanding officer & 2/LT J.A.S. MACLEAN.

• War Diary: 1/4th Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry, 8 Aug 1917. ^{12 13}
Dambre Camp, Vlamertinghe.
Relief complete shortly before daybreak. Foggy morning, bright and sunny later until 6 P.M. Our trenches shelled with H.E several times during day, B & D companies suffering casualties. Relieved in early evening by 1/6^th Bⁿ GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGT. Return to DAMBRE CAMP in heavy rainstorm. Hot meal and rum for men. Casualties for 3 days: Killed 2/LT. R.H. WHITE M.C, 2/LT H.E. GIBSON, O.R. 18: Wounded LT.COL. R. STEPHENS, LT. W.H.E. ENOCH, 2/LT. J.A.S. MACLEAN, O.R. 58: Missing O.R. 4

The War Record of the 1/4th Oxford and Bucks compiled by Major P Pickford, published in 1919 by the Banbury Guardian states, "that casualties for the days at no less than 32 Killed and 58 Wounded."

• Dozinghem Casualty Clearing Station, Poperinge, Belgium. This was outside the front held by Commonwealth forces in Belgium, but in July 1917, in readiness for the forthcoming 3rd Ypers offensive, groups of casualty clearing stations were placed at three positions called by the troops Mendinghem, Dozinghem and Bandaghem. The 4th (25/6/1917 to 28/3/1918), 47th (25/6/1917 to 10/3/1918) and 61st (14/6/1917 to 13/1/1918) Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Dozinghem and the military cemetery used by them until early in 1918.

• Cemetery: Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, Aug 1917, Grave Reference:- II. F. 15. ¹⁴
There are now 3,174 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery and 65 German war graves from this period. The cemetery also contains 73 Second World War burials dating from the Allied withdrawal to Dunkirk in May 1940. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

• Soldiers Died in the Great War.
Name: Christopher Green:
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 1/4 Battalion
Enlisted: Oxford
Residence: Summertown, Oxon
Rank: Private
Number: 201746
Date died: 08 August 1917
How died: Died of Wounds
Theatre of War: France & Flanders

• Obituary: North Berks Herald , page 2, 12 Aug 1917.
Died of Wounds.
Green, - August 8 of wounds received in France, Pte Christopher Green, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 10 Black-horse Yard Summertown, aged 36 years, leaving a widow and six children.
Mourned by all who knew him.

• Obituary: Oxford Times, 18 Aug 1917. ¹⁵
DIED OF WOUNDS
Pte Christopher Green, aged 36, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, son of Mr and Mrs F. Green. Blackfriers Road, has died of wounds in France. He joined up in May, 1915. He went to Trinity Boys School, and was a bricklayers labourer. He leaves a widow and six young children.

• Obituary: North Berks Herald, page 2, 25 Aug 1917.
Green, - August 8 of wounds received in France, Pte Christopher Green, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 10 Black-Horse Yard Summertown, dearly loved son of Mr. & Mrs. Green, 81 Blackfriars Road, Oxford, aged 36 years, from his sorrowing Father, Mother, Brothers and Sisters.
Deeply mourned by all who loved him.

• Obituary: Oxford Journal Illistrated, 5 Sep 1917. ¹⁶
Pte C. Green, Oxf and Bucks Lt. Infy., Summertown, - Died of Wounds.

• Roll Of Honour, 8 Sep 1917, The Times. ¹⁷
DIED OF WOUNDS
Oxf. and Bucks L.I.: Green, 201746 C. (Summertown)

• Casualty List: The War Record of the 1/4th Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 1919. ¹⁸

• Military Award. ^{19 20}
Medals awarded Posthumously.

British War Medal
The British War Medal 1914-1920, authorised in 1919, was awarded to eligible service personnel and civilians alike. Qualification for the award varied slightly according to service. The basic requirement for army personnel and civilians was that they either entered a theatre of war, or rendered approved service overseas between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Service in Russia in 1919 and 1920 also qualified for the award.


Victory Medal
The Victory Medal 1914-1919 was also authorised in 1919 and was awarded to all eligible personnel who served on the establishment of a unit in an operational theatre.

Christopher married Ada Bertha TRITTON, daughter of Jesse TRITTON and Rosa SIMMS, on 1 Jun 1903 in Oxford, Oxfordshire.¹ (Ada Bertha TRITTON was born on 28 May 1882 in 3 Sillmans Row, Woodstock Road, Summertown, Oxford,²¹ died on 31 Dec 1957 in 181 The Moors, Kidlington, Oxford ²² and was cremated in Jan 1958 in Oxford Crematorium, Oxford.)