Pte 20781 John Green

• Age: 25
• From: Wigan, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 20th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Mendinghem B C Proven
  Panel Ref: X.B.22

John Green was born in 1893 in Wigan and was the son of William Green and his wife Margaret (nee Hunt).

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 7, Tunstall Lane, Pemberton, Wigan, Lancashire. His father, William, is aged 33, born in Pemberton in 1868 is a coal hewer, whilst his mother, Margaret, is also aged 33 and was also born in Pemberton, Lancashire, she has no occupation listed. They have five children at the time of the Census and they were all born in Pemberton. Peter is aged 11, born 1890, Robert aged 10, born 1891, John aged 8, born 1893, Elizabeth aged 4, born 1907 and William aged 1, born 1900.  

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 76 Ormskirk Road Pemberton, Wigan, Lancashire. His father William now aged 43, is still employed as a coal hewer, his wife Margaret is also aged 43 and has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty one years and have had ten children of which two had sadly died. Those listed on teh Census are: Peter is aged 21, Robert aged 20 and John aged 18 are all employed underground as coal miners, Elizabeth aged 14,is a machine tailoress, William and Jane aged 12, and Margaret aged 7 are all at school, and Ellen aged 3 was born in 1908. They also have Margaret’s mother Jane Hunt a widow aged 67 who was in 1844 in Count Durham.

John was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 20781 when he died of wounds on the 20^th April 1918 aged 25 during the German Spring Offensive. 

He now lies in Mendinghem British Cemetery, Belgium. The Inscription on his headstone reads:

“THE LORD GAVE AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY”

Mendinghem, like Dozinghem and Bandaghem, were the popular names given by the troops to groups of casualty clearing stations posted to this area during the First World War. In July 1916, the 46th (1st/1st Wessex) Casualty Clearing Station was opened at Proven and this site was chosen for its cemetery. The first burials took place in August 1916. In July 1917, four further clearing stations arrived at Proven in readiness for the forthcoming Allied offensive on this front and three of them, the 46th, 12th and 64th, stayed until 1918. From May to July 1918, while the German offensive was at its height, field ambulances were posted at Proven. The cemetery was closed (except for one later burial) in September 1918. There are now 2,391 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in this cemetery and 52 German war graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

We currently have no further information on John Green, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.