Tess Tiernan has provided the following:
Private Thomas Greener
24/1179, 1st Garrison Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers
Thomas, the eldest of eight children, was born in 1873 to Joseph and Sarah Greener (née O'Neil) of Leadgate, County Durham. He married Mary McCafferty of Dipton in 1900. The 1911 census show Thomas, a coalminer hewer, Mary and her youngest brother living at Sutton Yard, Blackhall Mill. The couple had no children.
At his time of enlistment, 28 October 1914, the couple were living at 4 George Street, Dipton. Thomas was 41 years of age. He joined the 24th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers and was transferred to the 1st Garrison Battalion.
The 1st (Garrison) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers was formed in August 1915 and served throughout the war in Malta. They were stationed at Polverista, with their HQ on Manoel Island in Marsamuscetto Harbour, and provided detachments for guard duties at Verdala and St. Clements Prisoner of War camps. Malta was an important staging post in the Mediterranean and a vital supply and hospital base, as well as accommodating German prisoners of war.
The men of the Garrison battalions tended to be made up of older and medically downgraded men.
Influenza became prevalent in June and July 1918 and recurred in a more severe form during September/October 1918. There were 3079 cases and 59 deaths. Thomas is shown as having died, aged 45 years, from illness in St Andrew's Hospital. It is possible that the 'Spanish Flu' pandemic was the cause of his death.
Remembered with Honour
