Early Life.
Victor John Green was born on the 23rd November 1917 at Hertford.
His father, Percival John Green, was born on the 21st December 1892 at Hintlesham, Suffolk and he was baptised on the 19th February 1893 at St. Nicholas Church at Hintlesham. During the 1911 census he was employed as a domestic servant, a Hall Boy, at the home of the Cox family at 26, Pont Street, Chelsea, London.
His mother, Elsie Rose Mintram, was born on the 16th January 1892 at Fawley, Hampshire. In the 1911 census she was employed as a domestic servant, a Kitchen Maid, and living at Cadland House, Fawley, Hampshire.
Elsie and Percival married in 1916 in the New Forest. They had three children:
- Victor John Green.
- Ronald C. Green born in 1921 at Hertford.
- Leslie F. Green born in 1927 at Hitchin.
However, before they married Percival joined the Hertford County Constabulary.
Percival John Green’s Police Service.
Percival’s Police Service Record has not survived but from other sources we know he was appointed as Constable 327 on the 12th October 1914. He would have undergone his Probationer training at Police Headquarters at Hatfield. The following details have been assembled from Hertford County Constabulary Police General Orders, Electoral Rolls and the 1939 Register.
General Order 14 of 21st January 1915 announced Percival’s posting to a Division by stating that he was one of 22 Recruit Constables who had been brought on the Roster for duty and were being transferred from Headquarters. He was shown as PC 327 Green P.J. posted to E Division at Hitchin from the 22nd January 1915.
Percival John Green’s Military Service In World War One.
The Derby Scheme, or more correctly the Group Scheme, was a concept created by Edward Stanley the 17th Lord Derby to boost recruitment to the Army in 1915. He had been appointed as the Director-General of Recruiting on the 11th October 1915 and initiated the scheme five days later. It was considered to effectively be the last step before the introduction of compulsory military service.
The public were informed by the War Office that voluntary enlistment was going to stop and that the last chance to do so would be 15th December 1915. All men aged between 18 and 40 were notified that with this scheme they could still voluntarily enlist providing they agreed to mobilise later on if required with single men being selected before married men.
Those who enlisted under the Derby Scheme but chose to defer their mobilisation were categorised as Class A and the men who wanted to join up immediately were Class B.
The Class A men received a day’s army pay for the day they enlisted. They were also given a khaki armlet with a red cloth crown sewn to it. Each armlet was individually numbered which was recorded on their Army Record. It was to be worn on the left upper arm to show that they had volunteered which would hopefully prevent accusations of cowardice which had become rife from some sections of the public.
The Class A men were transferred to Section B of the Army Reserve and were given an Army Form W.3914 completed with their own details and Group number and they returned to their normal lives until they were mobilised. The men were categorised into single and married status and into 23 groups according to their age. Single men born in 1897 were Group 1 and progressed through to those born in 1875 who were Group 23. Similarly, married men born in 1897 were Group 24 and progressed through to those born in 1875 who were Group 46. Each specific Group was then allocated a mobilisation date.
The vast majority of Hertford County Constabulary Police Officers that fell within the above criteria all enlisted between the 9th and the 11th December 1915. It is unknown exactly how many of them actually did enlist, as their records have not survived, but there can be little doubt that Percival would have enlisted although there is no record of him having been mobilised.
Transfer.
General Order 101 of the 19th June 1915 announced that Frederick was being transferred from E Division at Hitchin to F Division at Hertford. The Electoral Rolls of 1919 to 1925 show Percival and Elsie as living at 5, Cromwell Road, Hertford.
Promotion To Sergeant And A Transfer.
General Order 62 of the 20th April 1925 announced that Percival had been promoted to the rank of Acting Sergeant and General Order 65 of the 25th April instructed him to move back to E Division at Hitchin. A year later he was confirmed in the rank of substantive Sergeant. The Electoral Rolls of 1925 to 1929 lists Percival and Elsie Green as living at 24, Highbury Road, Hitchin.
Further Promotions and Transfers.
The Electoral Roll of 1930 lists Percival and Elsie Green as living at 8, Priory Lane, Royston and this move may have been associated with his promotion to Inspector. Certainly, by the time of the 1939 Register he had been promoted again and moved once more as he was recorded as Superintendent Percival J. Green. He and his family were living at 26, Church Street, Bishop’s Stortford.
Percival John Green retired as a Superintendent on the 30th September 1943. Although he had completed his 25 years’ service as the country was at war, he would have been expected to have continued serving, so the fact that he was allowed to retire suggests that there was a medical reason.
Percival John Green died aged 77 in 1970 at Southampton.
Victor John Green’s Police Service.
Victor’s Police Service Record has not survived but from other sources we know his date of appointment to the Hertfordshire Constabulary was the 22nd November 1937 and he was posted to C Division at Watford. The following details have been assembled from the 1939 Register, the minutes of the Hertfordshire Police Standing Joint Committee and publicly available Military Records.
Marriage.
In 1939 Victor married Elizabeth Emma Drayton in Barley near Royston. Elizabeth was born on the 4th February 1910 at Barley. During the 1911 census Elizabeth is recorded as living with her family at Church End, Barley, Royston. They had a daughter Angela C. Green born in 1941 at Hitchin.
At the time of the 1939 Register Victor is shown as a Police Constable and living with Elizabeth at 19, Sandringham Road, Watford.
Victor John Green’s Army Service.
Victor’s Army Service Record is held by the Ministry of Defence, but we know from documents that are publicly available that he enlisted in the in the 4th Field Training Regiment, Royal Artillery as Gunner 14249896 after the outbreak of World War 2.
Casualty List No.995 dated the 1st December 1942 reported that he had died on the 17th November 1942. He was again included in Casualty List No. 1079 dated the 10th March 1943 as a mistake had been made in recording his Service Number in the first list.
The death certificate for Victor John Green shows that he died on the 17th November 1942 at the General Medical Laboratory A (MSA) at Salisbury from diphtheria. He was recorded as aged 24 of Belle Vue Garage, Barley near Royston, Herts., Private 14249896 R.A.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record shows: “In Memory of Victor John Green Gunner 14249896, Royal Artillery who died on 17 November 1942 Age 25. Son of Percival and Elsie Rose Green; husband of Elizabeth Emma Green of Barley. Remembered with Honour Barley (St. Margaret) Churchyard.”
The family requested the following inscription to be placed on his headstone: “In Loving Memory Of Victor John, The Beloved Husband Of Elizabeth Green And Daddy Of Angela, Who Passed Away 17th November 1942, At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him.”
Book 31, page 165 of the minutes of the Hertfordshire Police Standing Joint Committee recorded his death.
Victor’s Probate record shows that his address was Belle Vue Garage, Barley and that he died on war service on the 17th November 1942. His estate went to his widow Elizabeth Emma Green.
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