Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Alfred Greenwell was born 1887 at Heworth, Gateshead, County Durham, the only son of 3 surviving children along with his 2 sisters (2 deceased gender unknown). His father John George Greenwell of Chester le Street born 1856 and mother Ellen Jane Roberts born 1883 at Slaley near Hexham in Northumberland were married in 1880 at Chester le Street, district of Durham. Newly married they lived at Labour Hold next door to the Three Tuns at Birtley where John was a waggon rider on the railway. As the family grew they moved to North Leam, Heworth, still working for the railway his father was now a traffic manager and later a plate layer, aged 14 years Alfred was still a scholar. By 1911 he was employed at the colliery as a blacksmith striker, his father had changed profession and worked as a colliery fireman.
Alfred married in the district of Gateshead during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1914, Ellen Jane Brooks, their daughter Nancy was born in 1915. He enlisted, in 1915 assigned as Private 51330 1/7th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment, a Territorial Force battalion and later transferred to the 1/8th. Drafted to France as of January 1916, he joined the regiment attached to the 165th Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Division. Their first battle came during, “The Big Push”, July 1st 1916 at the Somme attempting to capture the village of Guillemont until September, at times in very poor visibility. August 8th the 1st and 1/8th reached the German front-line trenches and entered the village but were later driven back and almost annihilated. After the Somme ended in November 1916 the Allies began to prepare for offensives in April 1917 to the, “Hindenburg Line” and Battles of Arras, France followed by Passchendaele in Belgium. January 1918 the regiment was transferred to the 172nd Brigade, 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division and were once again, during the Spring Offensive and the Advance To Victory, back on the Somme in France.
Private 51330 Alfred Greenwell The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment was killed in action August 30th 1918 during the Advance To Victory in Picardy and Artois. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the names of over 9,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa, who fell between August 8th 1918 to the date of Armistice, between the Somme and Loos, who have no known grave, inscribed on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, which forms the backdrop to the British Cemetery. Private Greenwell was 31 years old.
His widow Ellen Jane, received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 553, Sunderland Road, Gateshead. His parents at the time of his demise were living at 8, Rowlandson Terrace, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham.
Alfred’s father died in the district of Gateshead in 1939 aged 84, details of his mother, wife and child unknown.
In God’s safe keeping, Rest In Peace.
Alfred Greenwell is remembered at Heworth on H92.03, H92.04 and H92.07
