Heslop's Local Advertiser
Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Greener was born 1881 at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, one of 4 children of whom only 2 survived, William and his sister Sarah, born to James Greener native of Ireland born 1851 and his wife Ann, born 1838 at Paisley, Scotland and 12 years his senior. His father worked as a coal miner whilst they were living at Seaham, however by 1901 they had moved to 3, Dora Street, Heworth, William now aged 20 years was a labourer at the shipyards. His widowed sister Sarah and her 2 children lived with them in 1911 at 82, Back Elliott Street, Felling-on-Tyne supported by William and his father. November 13th 1912, in the district of Gateshead, William married Mary Ann Hickey after the birth go their son, James, October 16th 1912. She gave birth to a second child Joseph William December 5th 1914.
He enlisted, aged 34 years, June 9th 1915, declaring he was a miner living at 13, Stainton Street, Felling, had previously served for a period of 4 years with the 4th Durham Light Infantry Volunteers, in response to the Government’s formation of tunnelling companies formed by experienced miners many of whom were outside the normal recruitment age. During 1915 the British tunnelling companies were formed due to the fact that the British Expeditionary Force at the Western Front had discovered the Germans were mining to a planned system, something that the British had failed to do. Kitchener and the French field marshals investigated the possibility and suitability of forming British mining units and the idea was approved and the scheme initiated February 19th 1915. Receiving the sum of 2 shillings and 2 pence a day and assigned as a special enlistment tunnellers mate, having joined the unit at London, he was transferred to the British Expeditionary Force, June 14th 1915 as Sapper 102566 Royal Engineers. Upon his arrival in France, June 21st 1915, he was allocated to the 174th Tunnelling Coy receiving an increased pay of 6 shillings a day and was deployed to the Houplines area in northern France moving by July 1915 to the Somme taking over French mine workings between La Boiselle and Carnoy. July 24th, they established headquarters at Bray taking over 66 shafts at Carnoy, Fricourt, Maricourt and La Boiselle. By August both the Allies and Germans were working at depth of 12 metres (35 feet) and charge sizes had reached 3,000 kilograms (6,600 pounds). The 174th Tunnelling Company was supported on the Somme by the 183rd.
Sapper 102566 William Greener Royal Engineers was reported missing August 29th 1915 and officially declared as, “killed”, October 3rd. The date of August 29th 1915 has been adopted as the official date of his demise by the CWGC.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 75,246 names of servicemen from the United Kingdom and South Africa commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France, pier and face 8A and 8D, who died on the Somme 1915-1918 and have no known grave. He was 34 years old.
His widow Mary Ann received all monies due to him, a pension of 18 shillings and 6 pence a week for herself and their two children as of April 24th 1916 and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 20, Stainton Street, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was reported in Heslop's Local Advertiser 22/4/1916:
"Sapper William Greener, killed in action in France, Aug. 29th, 1915, aged 34 years. Husband of Mary A. Greener, 17 Stainton St., Felling."
He is remembered at Felling on F32.06 and at Heworth on H92.03
