Ernest Bertie Green

Born: 1896

Died: 13 August 1915

Rank and Regiment: Corporal 2247 in the 1st/5th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment

Resting Place: body unrecovered

Memorials: Jerusalem Memorial, Israel and; Helles Memorial, Turkey

Ernest Bertie Green was born in Barnham Broom in 1896. He was the son of Alfred Green, gardener, and Eliza Jane (nee Martin). The family appears to have moved around, presumably following Alfred’s work; in 1901 they were living in South Raynham, near Fakenham.

Virtually the only thing we know about Ernest is that he appears to have been looking to follow in his father’s footsteps; in the 1911 Census for Butts Common, Ingworth, he is listed as living with his parents and working as “Gardener’s Assistant”.

Although barely of age to do so, he enlisted in August 1914. He is recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and by Soldiers Died in the Great War as “Bertie Ernest”. He must have impressed his superiors, because in the short time he served, and despite his extreme youth, he was promoted to Corporal.

What is clear is that he died on 13 August 1915.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, he was killed in action at Gallipoli, and he is one of over 20,000 men commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Moreover, according to Soldiers Died in the Great War, he is also commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

None of his military records appear to survive, but his Medal Record card states that the theatre of war in which he served was the Balkans, and that he arrived there on 6 August 1915. It seems clear that it was indeed at Gallipoli that he met his end. This is confirmed by the Register of Soldiers’ Effects, which records that he died aboard HM Hospital Ship Clan MacGillivray (which is known to have been at Gallipoli) and that he was buried at sea. His effects amounting to £4 17s 10d were paid out to his mother, together with a War Gratuity of £4 10s.

Helles Memorial, Turkey

Jerusalem Memorial, Israel