2nd Lieut Robert Edward Green

• Age: 24
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 21st March 1917
• Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
  Panel Ref: Bay 3

Robert Edward was born in Liverpool in 1892 the son of John Harold Green and his wife Mary Elizabeth (née Davies) who were married on 09th August 1892 at St Augustine's Church, Everton. John was a 22 year old cooper of 55 Radcliffe Street, father John Adam a cooper, whilst Mary was aged 20 of same address, father Edward a deceased coachman. He was baptised on 10th August 1892 also at St Augustine's Church, his father a cooper of 53 Radcliffe Street. 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 7 Lombard Street, West Derby. Robert is 8 years of age and lives with his parents and four siblings. His father is a 31 year old cooper born in Liverpool, whilst his mother is 29 years of age and was born in Pendleton, Lancashire. His siblings are listed as; Lillian aged 6, John H. is 4, Arthur W. is 2 and new born Beatrice W. 

At the time of the 1911 Census, the family have moved to 20 Osborne Road, Anfield. Robert Edward is now 18 and an apprentice cooper, he lives with his parents and five siblings who are listed as; Lilian now aged 16, John Harold a 14 year old apprentice printer, Arthur Windle is 12, Winifred Beatrice is 10 and Edward Davies Green is five. His father is aged 41, a master cooper, mother Mary is aged 38, and they advise that they have been married for 19 years and have had seven children, six of whom have survived.

Robert was educated at St Margaret's School, Anfield and an active member of the Parish. He was a server in the Church and took a keen interest in the social aspect of the Parish being a member of the Workers Educational Association.

His service record shows that Robert enlisted 05th September 1910, aged 18 years joining the 6^th Battalion (Rifles) of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was  described as being 5’8 and a half inches tall, weighed 10 stone with a 35” chest. He was appointed a Lance Corporal on 13th September 1915 before being selected for Commission. He was posted as 2nd Lieutenant into the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

Second-Lieutenant Green First appears in the Battalion War Diary at the end of September 1916, when he took fourteen other ranks to the 30th Division Grenade School. It is possible that he joined shortly before this as a replacement officer for the Battalion’s heavy losses at Guillemont at the end of July. He also attended a course with forty other ranks at the Divisional School at Saulty at the end of January 1917. He was killed in action on 21st March 1917.

At that time the Battalion was in the front line at Neuville Vitasse, near Arras, in northern France, probing the trenches of the Germans who were in the process of retreating back to carefully prepared fortified positions on the Hindenburg Line. Information had been received that Neuville Vitasse had been vacated by the enemy, and at 04.30am, Second-Lieutenant Green and ten other ranks from ‘ B’ Company were sent forward to confirm this report. They got very close to the village without meeting any hostile fire, but when they approached the remains of a mill, they found the Germans held Neuville Vitasse Trench in some considerable numbers, and heavy fire was directed upon them.

At that point Second-Lieutenant Green and 22444 Sergeant R Knowles saw three Germans ahead and rushed them. However, that action must have been seen from the right, by a body of about forty Germans, who then attacked the patrol and captured Green and Knowles killing some of the others. Only four men from the patrol returned to British Lines to tell what had happened.

Although Robert was reported to be a prisoner, he must have been mortally wounded or killed in the encounter, because he did not survive to enter German captivity and his death is presumed on that day. He was 24 years of age.

His body was not found and identified after the war, and he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing of the 1917 battles fought in the area, at Fauborg D’Amiens Cemetery Arras, France.  

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

Robert's death was reported in the Liverpool Echo 15/5/1917 and Liverpool Daily Post 16/5/1917:

Roll of Honour.

Second Lieut R. E. Green.  

At first reported missing, unwounded and a Prisoner of War, it is now officially reported that Sec. Lieut R. E. Green has been killed in action. He was educated at St Margarets School, Anfield, Liverpool. At the outbreak of war, being in the band of the Liverpool Rifles on finish of his term of service he volunteered for active service. He was recommended for a commission which he eventually obtained returning to France as one of the Kings. He took a keen interest in social work among the boys in St Margarets parish, was a server in the church and also an ardent member of the Workers Educational Association, being the librarian of his class. The Officer Commanding writes to his Father “My brother Officers and myself, extend to you our deep condolence in not only your, but our, great loss” 

He was also remembered by his family, on the first anniversary of his death on 21st March 1918 in the Liverpool Echo: 

Roll of Honour.

In Memoriam

Roll of Honour  -  In Memoriam  -  GREEN – In loving memory of our dearly loved eldest son Second Lieutenant Robert Edward Green (Bob) KLR age 25 years.  First reported missing then officially reported killed in action at Arras, March 21 1917.  Father, Mother, Sisters and Brothers.  24 Avon Street, Anfield.

GREEN – In loving memory of my dear brother Second Lieutenant R E Green KLR, Killed in action March 21 1917.  Ever remembered by Harold, Josie and Ethel.

Robert earned his two medals.

Soldiers Effects, Army pay of £44 15s, £8 10s War Gratuity to father John Green, a pension record exists, amount unknown.

By the 1921 Census the family are living at 4 Arkles Road, Anfield. His father, John, 61, is a foreman cooper working for James Tyrer and Sons, 20 Duke Street, mother Mary, 49, is invalided, Lillian 26, Edward 16, Beatrice(Lowe), 20, married.

They appear on the 1939 Register at 30 Warbreck Moor, John, dob 14th Dec 1869, still a cooper, Mary E., dob 19th Sept 1871, and Beatrice widowed.

His father died, aged 80, in 1950, and his mother died, aged 96, in 1967. 

Robert is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Liverpool Town Hall

St Margarets C of E, Anfield 

We currently have no further information on Robert Edward Green. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.