Walter Martin Greene

1893 - 1917  (24 years)

• Name	Walter Martin Greene
  Born	9 Nov 1893	Cape Broyle, Newfoundland
  Gender	Male
  Baptism	12 Nov 1893	Holy Trinity RC Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland   [1]
  Died	20 Nov 1917	France
  Buried	Marcoing British Cemetery Nord, France
  Notes	WALTER MARTIN GREENE Reg. No. 266 Enlisted, Sept. 2, 1914; Lance Corporal, Sept. 21, 1914; Corporal, Nov. 13, 1914; Provost Sergeant, April 23, 1915; British Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Aug. 20, 1915; Awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal, Jan. 24, 1916; British Expeditionary Force, March 14, 1916; 2nd Lieutenant, June 5, 1916; Wounded, Somme Raid, June 28, 1916: Invalided to England, July 5, 1916; Returned to B. E. F., May 4, 1917; Lieutenant, Nov. 1, 1917; Killed in action, Marcoing, Nov. 20, 1917. Greene, Walter Martin Walter Martin Greene, Reg. No. 266. Enlisted, Sept. 2, 1914; Lance Corporal, Sept. 21, 1914; Corporal, Nov. 13, 1914; Provost Sergeant, April 23, 1915; British Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Aug. 20, 1915; Awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal, Jan. 24, 1916; British Expeditionary Force, March 14, 1916; 2nd Lieutenant, June 5, 1916; Wounded, Somme Raid, June 28, 1916: Invalided to England, July 5, 1916; Returned to B. E. F., May 4, 1917; Lieutenant, Nov. 1, 1917; Killed in action, Marcoing, Nov. 20, 1917. son of Thomas Greene and Catherine Fewer of Cape Broyle. The following account is given in “The First Five Hundred”: “One of these patrols had a trying experience. On the night of November 4, a patrol sent out under Lieutenant J. J. Donnelly occupied a ridge midway between the trenches occupied by the enemy and those held by our men. From this ridge the Turks had been giving trouble every night for some time. The patrol had scarcely reached the ridge before it was opposed by the enemy who outnumbered our men by about seven to one. The sound of the firing from the ridge indicated to the Commanding Officer that our patrol was being attacked, and, suspecting that it was greatly outnumbered by the enemy, he immediately dispatched six men under Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Greene to reinforce the patrol. As this small party was slowly making its way across No Man’s Land it encountered a large party of Turks who were rapidly surrounding our men who were holding the ridge. In the skirmish that followed only Sergeant Greene and Private Hynes escaped without being wounded. The coolness, resourcefulness and courage with which these two men managed the situation could not be surpassed by the soldiers of many years active warfare experience. By their rapid fire at close range they completely deceived the Turks who greatly exceeded them in numbers. The enemy finally retired to his own trenches, and the attempt to surround our original patrol was completely foiled. This timely aid enabled Lieutenant Donnelly and his men to hold the ridge all night, although every man in the party had been wounded, some several times. On the following day the Regiment advanced its front line to the ridge that had been so nobly held by the two small patrols, and placed machine guns in commanding positions. This ridge was afterward most appropriately called Caribou Hill. The name will for many years linger in the minds of Newfoundlanders, and will recall the true soldierly qualities of the Newfoundland troops who fought at Gallipoli. Of these two patrols, three men were awarded decorations for their skill, coolness and courage in extreme danger. The official statement of the London Gazette is as follows: ‘The Military Cross was awarded to Lieutenant J. J. Donnelly for conspicuous gallantry and determination on the night of the fourth-fifth of November, 1915, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. He occupied with eight men a knoll to which our firing line was extended the next day. By his coolness and skill in handling his small party, which was reduced to five by casualties, he repelled several determined Turkish bomb and rifle attacks on his front and flanks, and held his own during the night.’ ‘The Distinguished Conduct Medal was awarded to Sergeant Greene and Private Hynes under the following circumstances: 266 Sergeant W. M. Greene, First Newfoundland Regiment. For conspicuous gallantry on the night of the fourth-fifth of November, 1915, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. With an Officer and six men he led the way in front of our advanced line in order to support a party of his Regiment which was being heavily attacked and likely to be surrounded. The enemy were encountered at close range, and, when the Officer and two men had been wounded, Sergeant Greene took command, drove off the Turks and brought in the wounded.’ ‘807 Private R.E. Hynes, First Newfoundland Regiment. For conspicuous gallantry on the night of the fourth-fifth of November, 1915, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. With an Officer and six men he attacked superior numbers of Turks, who were attempting to surround a small post. In spite of heavy casualties on our side, Private Hynes kept up rapid fire at close range, which resulted in the Turks abandoning their enterprise, and enabled his party to bring in the wounded.’ Greene, Walter Martin Son of Thomas and Catherine Greene, of 5 Flavin St., St. John's, Newfoundland. Born at Cape Broyle, Ferryland, Newfoundland. Cemetery: MARCOING BRITISH CEMETERY Nord,France Location:Marcoing is a village 7 kilometres south-west of Cambrai. The MARCOING BRITISH CEMETERY is 2 kilometres due east of the village on the D.15 towards Masnieres.
  Person ID	I3599	Families of Calvert (Caplin Bay), Newfoundland
  Last Modified	25 Jan 2016

  
  

  Father	Thomas Barnaby Greene,   b. 4 Jun 1846, Brigus South, Newfoundland ,   d. 12 Feb 1914, Bell Island, Newfoundland  (Age 67 years)
  Mother	Catherine "Kate" Fewer,   b. Abt 1856, Chapel's Cove, Conception Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. 30 Sep 1946, Cape Broyle, Newfoundland  (Age ~ 90 years)
  Married	Abt 1880
  Family ID	F945	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 9 Nov 1893 - Cape Broyle, Newfoundland Baptism - 12 Nov 1893 - Holy Trinity RC Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland Died - 20 Nov 1917 - France Buried - - Marcoing British Cemetery Nord, France  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S88] Holy Trinity RC Parish (Ferryland) Baptisms 1870 -1910, Newfoundland's Grand Banks, (Online: Transcribed records of photocopied parish records held at The Rooms Archives for Brigus South to Aquaforte, Ferryland District).