James Greene (Green)

Died of wounds on the 15/09/1917 at No.10 Stationary Hospital, St. Omer. Wounds received by the bursting of a bomb whilst training recruits on the 14/09/1917

The Battalion arrived in France on the 05/11/1914 and were part of the 100th Brigade, 33rd Division when James fell. James was severely wounded by the bursting of a bomb whilst instructing a group of recruits in the manipulation of bombs on the 14/09/1917. He died a day later in No.10 Stationary Hospital, St. Omer, France. September 1917 saw the peak of activity during the British offensive at Ypres (the Third Battle of Ypres, often known as Passchendaele). In consequence the level of activity at Saint-Omer was high and it was an obvious target for German bomber aircraft. The area had already previously been subjected to such attack and would continue to attract enemy attention until well into 1918. SEE PHOTOS x 21 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 1st JULY - 17th SEPTEMBER 1917. On the 13th February 1917 James was commended for an act of courage which prevented a serious accident. The official record of the deed states that he "was instructing a squad of his Battalion how to fire rifle grenades. Only one man and the instructor were in the trench when the last grenade was being fired. When the trigger was pressed the grenade did not leave the rifle barrel owing to a faulty cartridge but the lever was released. Sergeant Greene immediately seized the rifle, thrown it round the traverse, and pulled the man into safety. He thus prevented a serious accident". James was home on leave just a month before his death. See Newspaper clippings for letters to James' family from Captain R.C. Reid, Officer Commanding "B" Company and 2nd Lieutenant Thomson. James has a shared grave with 2nd Lieutenant F.R. Brotherhood of the Royal Flying Corps (see main grave photo). He is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for James' CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Pension Records x 3, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge and a physical training game of the troops of the 1/9th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (Glasgow Highlanders), 100th Brigade, 33rd Division, at Ghyvelde, 6th August 1917. James' grave inscription reads "GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN". Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 22 FOR THE 33rd DIVISION BOOK AUGUST - DECEMBER 1917, the 33rd Division Order of Battle x 14 (the Division he was with when he was wounded), 9 PAGES FROM THE COME ON HIGHLANDERS BOOK (Glasgow Territorials in the Great War) FROM JULY - SEPTEMBER 1917 (a fantastic book by Alec Weir covering the 1/9th Battalion throughout the Great War) and Newspaper clippings x 8 (Coatbridge Express x 3, Coatbridge Leader x 3 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2).