GREEN, William Edward
| Service Number: | 12 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 August 1914, Broadmeadows |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ |
| Born: | Marong, Greater Bendigo - Victoria, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Marong, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Corporal, 12, 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ, Broadmeadows | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct 1914: | Involvement Corporal, 12, 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orvieto embarkation_ship_number: A3 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Oct 1914: | Embarked Corporal, 12, 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ, HMAT Orvieto, Melbourne | |
| 23 May 1918: | Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, NB. Meritorious Service Medal M.S.M awarded in recognition of valuable services rendered with the armies in the field during present war.’ |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Jack Coyne
WILLIAM EDWARD GREEN
Meritorious Service Medal & Mention in Despatches
M.S.M awarded in recognition of valuable services rendered with the armies in the field during present war.’
Mentioned In Despatches in Sir A.J Murray’s Despatches.
Meritorious Service Medal - King George V awarded to Staff. Sgt. William Edward Green, service number 12, Australian Postal Corps. Green first served as a Corporal in the 1st Light Horse Regiment, A.I.F., during World War I. He was born in Marong, near Bendigo, Victoria and was a clerk before enlisting in the army on 18 August 1914, aged 21 years and 1 month. In May of 1915 whilst in Gallipoli, Green suffered from diarrhoea and was hospital in Alexandria. He rejoined his unit in Gallipoli in November 1915. In Egypt during 1916-18 he was still a Corporal before being promoted to Staff Sergeant. In March 1916 he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2. In May 1918, Green was in the Postal Corps, Anzac Mounted Division HQ. Green was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal - mentioned in dispatches by General Sir A. Murray on 28 June 1917 (published in Gazette 30391, London 20 Nov 1917) for work in Australian Headquarters. He was discharged 2 May 1919. [1]
The medal was instituted on 19 December 1845 for army warrant officers and sergeants for long and meritorious service (no more than 100 living recipients permitted this being controlled by the sum set aside for the annuity of 20 pounds). The award was extended to marines in 1849. In 1916 it was changed to an award 'for valuable and meritorious service' and was varied again in 1917 to being an award 'for gallant conduct in the performance of military duty otherwise than in action with the enemy, or in saving or attempting to save the life of an officer or soldiers, or for devotion to duty in a theatre of war'.[2]
The Bendigonian reported on Thu 6 Jun 1918
'THREE SONS FIGHTING'.
‘Company-Sergeant-Major William E. Green, the second son, enlisted at the out-break of war, and embarked with the 1st Anzac Light Horse. He served at Gallipoli, and was present at the evacuation. Ex-Cr. Green has been recently notified that his son had been promoted, and that he had also received the Meritorious Medal. He is at present serving in Palestine where he has been for some considerable time attached to the headquarters staff. Green is 25 years of age.
Cpl. John G. Green, eldest son, enlisted July, 1915, and after fighting in France was killed in action at Pozieres in July, 1916. Prior to enlisting, Cpl. Green was the Rochester representative of Messrs. M'Kean, M'Gregror and Co. Cpl. Green was 28 years of age.
The youngest son, Sgt. Cliff Green, is at present in Broadmeadows camp, where, shortly after enlisting, he passed the examination for an N.C.O and is acting Company-Sergeant-Major. Prior to enlisting he was employed in the Federal Taxation department in Melbourne. Sgt. Green is 19 years of age.’ [3]
The Meritorious Service Medal is a silver medal (36 mm diameter) with mount and ribbon. The obverse features a head of George V with bare head, facing left; around, GEORGVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP: the artist's initials B.M. (Bertram MacKennal) on the neck truncation. The reverse has, within a crowned laurel wreath, the legend FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE. The edge is impressed: 12 S.SJT: W.E. GREEN. AUST: P.C.[4]
SERVICE DETAILS:
Regimental number: 12
Place of birth: Bendigo, Victoria
Religion: Church of England
Occupation: Clerk
Address: Marong, GPO, Victoria
Marital status: Single
Age at embarkation: 24
Next of kin: Father, W C Green, Marong PO, Marong, Victoria
Enlistment date: 18 August 1914
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll: 10 August 1914
Place of enlistment: Broadmeadows, Victoria
Rank on enlistment: Corporal
Unit: 1st Light Horse Brigade, Headquarters, & Australian Army Postal Corps
Embarked: TRANSPORT A3 Orvieto on 21 October 1914
Final Rank : Warrant Officer (Class II)
Recommendations (Medals and Awards)
Mention in Despatches
Awarded, and promulgated, 'London Gazette', Second Supplement No. 30474 (14 January 1918); 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 76 (23 May 1918).
Fate: Returned to Australia 23 December 1918
Medals: Meritorious Service Medal
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 23 May 1918 on page 1123 at position 69
[1] Medal Museums Victoria site
https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1208644
[2] Medal Museums Victoria site
https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1208644
[3] Bendigonian (Bendigo, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thu 6 Jun 1918 Page 31 THREE SONS FIGHTING.
[4] Medal Museums Victoria site
https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1208644
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