Private William John Green
William John Green was born on 24 January 1884 at 6 Bann Street, Belfast, the fourth of seven children of flax dresser James Green and his wife Jane (née Mahon). By the time of the 1901 Census he was living in Alloa Street, Belfast, with his parents and siblings, and was employed as a wire worker. Later that year, on 7 August, he enlisted at Belfast in the Royal Marine Light Infantry (No.11086). He served with that regiment until invalided out on 16 April 1908.
At the time of the 1911 Census William was living at Alloa Street with his parents, four siblings and a nephew, and working as a general labourer. Later that year he moved to Greencastle, where he worked as a dairyman. On 25 December he married Ellen Lusk in the Newington Presbyterian Church, Belfast. The couple had four children over the next eleven years.
Green enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 5 or 6 January 1916 (No.2062). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France in 1916 or the first half of 1917, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st or 2nd North Irish Horse Regiments.
In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and its men, together with some surplus to the needs of the 1st NIH Regiment, were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Green, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. Green was issued regimental number 41441.
He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917, and perhaps also during the retreat from St Quentin from 21 to 28 March 1918.
Green was wounded during the latter stages of the Advance to Victory offensive from August to November 1918. It may have taken some time for the wound to heal, for he was not discharged from the army until 31 March 1920.
After the war Green lived with his family at 34 Hogarth Street, Belfast, and worked as a motorman. He was later employed as a tram driver. By 1969 he was living at 1 Warwick Row, Carrickfergus. He died on 19 August that year in the Moyle Hospital, Larne. A death notice in the Belfast Telegraph noted that he was the oldest surviving member of the Belfast Corporation Tramways ex-Servicemen's Association.
Royal Marine Light Infantry
Images sourced from Ancestry.com Public Member Trees – contributor 'Hezhigg'.