2nd Lieutenant Herbert John Green
'Bertie' Green was born in East Rudham, Norfolk on the 30th July 1879, the son of W.S. and Mrs Green. At the age of 9, he and the rest of the family moved North to 7 Springbank Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Four years later he won a special scholarship to St Cuthbert's Grammar School, where he distinguished himself, particularly in Science subjects.
From St Cuthbert's, Green passed into Armstrong College with the intention of taking a degree in science. He also joined the Durham University OTC. He broke off his studies to volunteer his services as soon as he was old enough to do so and was sent to the Officer Cadet Training Battalion at Oxford. At Oxford he was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant to the Royal Flying Corps on the 6th July 1916, so joining three of his brothers who were already with the flying service. He graduated from the Central Flying School, Uphavon on 15th November 1916, and then was posted to Hemel Hempstead.
The Christmas of 1916, his last, was spent at home. He crossed the Channel on the 17th January 1917, and had been with his Squadron only a matter of weeks when he was killed.
On the very day of Bertie's death, his brother Ernie, an observer with 16th Squadron, had arranged to call over on a visit from his own aerodrome at Auchy. Ernie went on to win a MC, before qualifying as a pilot and being shot down and taken prisoner on 3rd February 1918. Ernie Green stayed on in the RAF after the war and was killed in a flying accident at Digby, Lincolnshire on the 24th May 1922. Bertie Green is buried alongside his observer. He was 19 years old.
Source:- Franks, Norman, Giblin, Hal and McCrery, Nigel, Under the guns of the Red Baron. The complete record of von Richthofen's victories and victims London, Grub Street, 2007. ISBN 13:978190494376
He is remembered at Newcastle on NUT063
