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Arthur GREEN

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Surname: GREEN

Forename(s): Arthur

Place of Birth: Barnoldswick, Yorkshire

Service No: 333429

Rank: Private

Regiment / Corps / Service: Highland Light Infantry

Battalion / Unit: 2/9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion

Division: 65th (2/Lowland) Division

Age: ---

Date of Death: 1917-09-06

Awards: ---

CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: P. 4.

CWGC Cemetery: GHYLL UNDENOMINATIONAL BURIAL GROUND, BARNOLDSWICK

CWGC Memorial: ---

Non-CWGC Burial: ---

Local War Memorial: BARNOLDSWICK, YORKSHIRE

Additional Information:

Arthur Green was the son of James and Elizabeth Green, née Arms. James was born at Burnley, Lancashire and Elizabeth at Old Buckenham, Norfolk.

1891 Barnoldswick, Yorkshire Census: Orchard Street - Arthur Green, aged 2 years, born Barnoldswick, son of James and Elizabeth Green.

1901 Barnoldswick, Yorkshire Census: 23, Wellhouse Street - A. Green, aged 12 years, son of James and E. Green.

1911 Barnoldswick, Yorkshire Census: 33, Wellhouse Street - Arthur Green, aged 22 years, born Barnoldswick, son of James and Elizabeth Green.

Arthur was married to Mary Hallam in 1911.

Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Pte Arthur Green, 333429, 9th Bn. H.L.I. Date and Place of Death: 6.9.17 Keighley War Hos. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Widow - Mary. £6 9s. 0d. Self and children.

At the time of Arthur's death the 2/9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion were in Ireland as part of the 65th (2/Lowland) Division.

Arthur is commemorated in the Rolls of Honour at the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh.

A short biography of Arthur is included in: ‘Barnoldswick – A small Town’s part in conflicts 1800 to 2014’ by Peter Ian Thompson (2014).

Data Source: Craven Herald Article

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Entry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record: ---

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No photo available for this Soldier
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Highland Light Infantry

Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Highland Light Infantry

Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 65th (2/Lowland) Division

Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 65th (2/Lowland) Division

Data from Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 - 1919 Records

Soldiers Died Data for Soldier Records

Surname: GREEN

Forename(s): Arthur

Born: Barnoldswick

Residence:

Enlisted: Keighley

Number: 333429

Rank: Private

Regiment: Highland Light Infantry

Battalion: 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion (Territorial)

Decorations:

Died Date: 06/09/17

Died How: Died

Theatre of War: Home

Notes:

Data from Commonwealth War Graves Commission Records

CWGC Data for Soldier Records

Surname: GREEN

Forename(s): Arthur

Country of Service: United Kingdom

Service Number: 333429

Rank: Private

Regiment: Highland Light Infantry

Unit: 9th (Glasgow Highlanders) Bn.

Age:

Awards:

Died Date: 06/09/1917

Additional Information:

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Ghyll Undenominational Burial Ground, Barnoldswick

Ghyll Undenominational Burial Ground, Barnoldswick

CWGC Headstone

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14 September 1917

GREEN – September 7th 1917, found drowned in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Skipton, Private Arthur Green, of 5, Powell Street, Barnoldswick.

14 September 1917

BARNOLDSWICK SOLDIER’S SUICIDE

A distressing tragedy occurred at Skipton in the early hours of Friday morning last, when an invalided Barnoldswick soldier from the Skipton and District Hospital committed suicide in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal near to the hospital. Deceased was Pte. Arthur Green, whose wife and two children live at No. 5 Powell Street, Barnoldswick. He enlisted about twelve months ago, and in July last was sent home on ten days’ sick leave. As he did not improve he was sent to the Skipton Hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment for gastritis. The evidence at the inquest showed that he had been upset by seeing the other wounded soldiers, and had been very quiet and almost unsociable.

The inquest was conducted at the Skipton Union Workhouse boardroom on Friday afternoon by Mr. Edgar Wood, coroner; Mr. C. Mawson being foreman of the jury.

Nurse Berry, probationer nurse, said she had been on night duty at the hospital about six weeks and had 31 patients under her care, including deceased. Nine of the cases were regarded as serious, but did not call for particular attention. Deceased, who was suffering from gastritis, had not, she thought, been seriously ill, apart from the previous Tuesday morning, when he became unconscious and his relatives had to be sent for. He afterwards recovered, however. About 2-50 that morning (Friday) she noticed that deceased appeared to be awake in bed. She went into another ward, and on returning ten minute’s later found that he was missing from his bed. She wakened up some of the men and a search was made, and as no trace of deceased could be found she informed the matron. Most of the windows were open, and it would be quite easy for deceased to leave the institution by one of them. Deceased had been very quiet all the time he had been at the hospital, and appeared to be brooding. He had troubled about some of the wounded men, and she believed he had worried about the thoughts of going to France. He had complained of pain during the last two days, but she had not the slightest suspicion that he would attempt to take his life.

James Green, 9, Low West Avenue, Barnoldswick, deceased’s father, gave evidence of identification of the body, and said that his son was formerly a printer and was never really strong. In the early hours of the previous Tuesday morning he became unconscious, and witness and deceased’s wife were sent for and stayed with him until he regained consciousness. Some years ago a cousin of deceased, a little boy, drowned himself in the canal, but witness had never heard deceased threaten to take his life, and had not the slightest suspicion that he would attempt such a thing. He had said that he would like to come back home as soon as he was better.

P.C. Pryke said he received information as to deceased being missing from the hospital at 4 o’clock that morning. On proceeding to the hospital he was shown a pair of Army socks, which he was told had been found on the footpath of the canal near Messrs. Dewhurst’s mill. He then proceeded to the canal and noticed that some of the rank grass near the edge of the water was beaten down as though someone had passed over it recently. As he could not see anything in the canal he procured the grappling irons from the Canal Company’s office and recovered the body at 5-15 a.m. The depth of the water varied from 2ft. 6 inches at the sides to 6ft. in the centre, and deceased could have got out if he had wished. The body was at once removed to hospital and Mr. Knight tried artificial respiration for half an hour without success. Deceased was wearing the ordinary hospital trousers and shirt and had removed his socks. A postcard was found on deceased, but it had no relation to his death.

The Matron (Nurse Eggins) stated that deceased came to the hospital on July 7th. She had since seen him every day, but had never noticed any sign of insanity. With the exception of the sudden attack on the previous Tuesday, he had not been seriously ill, but to her he appeared to be a man of rather morose disposition and was not at all sociable with the other soldiers. His wife had told witness that morning that he had been much upset about the condition of a soldier who had lost both his feet, but he had not said anything about this to witness, nor had he expressed any fears about going to the Front. Prior to that morning he had been in bed three or four days. During the recent hot nights the windows of the hospital had been left open, and it would be quite easy for deceased to leave the hospital by one of them; he could also have got out by a side door, which was not fastened.
Dr. W.H. Knight said he had attended deceased since Dr. Liversidge went away on the Tuesday week previous and had not noticed any signs of insanity. The attack on the previous Tuesday morning was, he thought, due to a slight blood clot, but it was an altogether unusual attack, and he recovered and was apparently getting better. Deceased was very self-concentrated, and appeared to think too much of his illness. For the class of patients he did not consider it necessary to have someone in attendance continually.

After retiring, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased had committed suicide, but that there was not sufficient evidence to show the state of his mind at the time.

The funeral of Pte. Arthur Green, whose untimely end under such distressing circumstances has evoked universal sympathy, took place on Monday afternoon at Gill Church Cemetery, and was attended by several of deceased’s ward mates from the Skipton Military Hospital. A short service was conducted at the house by the Rev. A. Bradfield (Wesleyan minister), who also officiated at the cemetery. Among the numerous floral tributes were wreaths from the matron and staff of the hospital, and Messrs. Briggs Bros. (printers), deceased’s former employers.

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14 September 1917

DISTRESSING TRAGEDY AT SKIPTON

Barnoldswick Soldier’s Suicide

A distressing tragedy occurred at Skipton in the early hours of Friday morning last when a soldier from the War Auxiliary Hospital in Granville Street (Skipton and District Hospital) committed suicide in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The deceased was Private Arthur Green, of the Highland Light Infantry, and of 5, Powell Street, Barnoldswick. He was suffering from gastric ulcer, and he had been undergoing treatment at the Hospital since July last. His condition had varied, but the previous night he appeared much brighter. He was in charge of Miss Berry, a probationary nurse, who last saw the deceased about 2-40 on Friday morning when she passed through the ward. She noticed that Green did not appear to be asleep, and on returning about ten minutes later she found that deceased’s bed was empty. She reported the matter to the Matron, and Miss Eggins roused several of the convalescent soldiers, who searched the grounds without success. Eventually, however, one of them found a pair of army socks on the allotments footpath adjoining the canal. The police were informed, and with the aid of grappling irons P.S. Pryke recovered the body from the centre of the canal. The body was conveyed to the hospital where Dr. Knight tried artificial respiration for half an hour but without avail. Dr. Knight had attended the deceased since August 28th. A few days previous to the event deceased was very ill and unconscious, but he rallied again and appeared to be progressing.

THE INQUEST

Mr. Edgar Wood (district coroner) conducted the inquiry at the Skipton Workhouse on Friday afternoon.

Probationer Nurse Berry said she was at present on night duty at he Skipton District Hospital, and had 34 parents under her care, including the deceased. None of them were seriously ill and did not require more attention than she could give them. The deceased had been under her care for the past six weeks and he was suffering from gastritis. She never thought there was anything wrong with him mentally, but she believed he had worried about the chance of having to go abroad, and at seeing a man who had returned with the loss of his legs. Witness last saw him at twenty minutes to three that morning. He was in bed, but witness did not think he was asleep. She did not speak to him but went to another ward. On returning about ten or fifteen minutes later she at once noticed that he was missing, his bed being empty. There were nine other men in the ward, eight of whom she knew were asleep. She looked round for the deceased, and being unable to find any trace of him she reported the matter to the matron. It would have been easy for the deceased to get out of the hospital through the windows, but he had never done so before. He was a very quiet man, but she had not thought it necessary to call the doctor’s attention to him. He had complained of a good deal of pain lately. She had found no letter. He was unconscious the previous Tuesday night and she at once called the matron, and she (witness) stayed with him.

James Green, 8, Low West Avenue, Barnoldswick, gave evidence of identification. He said his son enlisted about twelve months ago. In Judy he came home on ten days’ sick leave and he was too ill to return. He was taken to the Skipton War Auxiliary Hospital. His son was never strong. Witness and deceased’s wife saw him early on Tuesday morning in response to a special summons. He had been unconscious all the night. He stayed until 8 a.m., and his wife remained at the hospital all day. Witness never suspected that he would commit suicide, for he had never threatened to do such a thing. A cousin, however, did drown himself some time ago in the canal at Barnoldswick.

P.B. Pryke said he was informed that the deceased was missing at four o’clock that morning. He went to the hospital and was told that a pair of army socks bad been found in the allotments on the hospital side of the canal. It was quite near. Witness noticed that the grass leading direct from the path to the water was beaten down. He could not see any thing in the water, which gradually deepened from 2½ feet to 6 feet. He at once secured the grappling irons, and at 5-15 a.m. he recovered the body from the centre of the canal and right opposite where the socks had been found. He took it to the hospital and Dr. Knight tried artificial respiration but without success. The deceased was wearing a pair of trousers and a shirt. His legs and arms were quite free and he saw no signs of any struggle. Had the deceased got into the water accidentally he could have got out again had he wanted to.

Miss Eggins, the Matron, said that deceased was admitted to the hospital on July 7th. She had seen him every day since his admittance and she had never noticed that there was anything wrong with him mentally. He had not been seriously ill, but had an attack of unconsciousness the previous Tuesday morning. She had not a serious case in the hospital, and one nurse was quite sufficient to look after the whole of the 34 patients. She thought deceased was a morose sort of man and was not particularly sociable with the other patients. Witness heard a little before three o’clock that morning that the deceased was missing, and she at once telephoned for the doctor and to the police. Deceased could easily get out of the hospital, and his trousers would be close to him. All the other patients had said they never saw deceased get up.

Dr. Knight said he had been attending the deceased about ten days for gastritis On Tuesday he was unconscious, which he thought was due to a blood clot, but later he recovered. On Wednesday morning he complained of pain in the chest. He had never shown any sighs of insanity. Deceased had never said anything to him about going to the front. He was satisfied that deceased had died from drowning. He did not think it necessary to have a nurse in attendance on the patients all the time.

The jury found that the deceased committed suicide, but that there was not sufficient evidence to show the state of his mind at the time.

THE FUNERAL

The funeral of Pte. A. Green, whose untimely end under such distressing circumstances has evoked universal sympathy, took place on Monday afternoon at Gill Cemetery, and was attended by several of deceased’s ward-mates from the Skipton Military Hospital. A short service was conducted at the house by the. Rev. A. Bradfield (Wesleyan Minister), who also officiated at the cemetery. Among the numerous floral tributes were wreaths from the matron and the staff of the Hospital and Messrs. Brigs Bros. (printers), deceased’s former employers.

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