Military Medal : Corporal A E Green, 9 Battalion, AIF

Place Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Albert Bapaume Area, La Barque
Accession Number REL34581.001
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Award
Physical description Silver
Maker Unknown
Place made United Kingdom
Date made c 1917-1918
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

Military Medal (Geo V). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

History / Summary

Sergeant Albert Edward Green, a 28 year old farmer from Lismore, NSW, enlisted in the AIF on 22 July 1915. He was assigned to the 6th reinforcements of 25 Battalion, with the service number 2682, and after basic training sailed from Brisbane for service overseas aboard HMAT Seang Lee on 21 October 1915. Green continued his training in Egypt and transferred to 9 Battalion, AIF on 28 February 1916, changing his service number to 2682A, before the battalion sailed to France for service on the Western Front. He was awarded the Military Medal on 25 February 1917 during the fierce fighting which caused the German retreat from the Hindenberg Line. The recommendation for his award reads, 'Near LE BARQUE, FRANCE, on the 25th. February, 1917, Cpl. GREEN was one of a patrol who were surprised by a strong party of the enemy firing on them from a cunningly laid position. This N.C.O. waited in a shell hole for some minutes, and then. although ignorant of the exact position of the enemy, crept forward and rescued the two wounded men, and brought them back a considerable distance.' In September 1917 Green undertook specialist training in England and qualified as a bomb (grenade) instructor, and in marksmanship, and was attached to a training battalion as an instructor for a number of months before rejoining 9 Battalion. In July 1918 he suffered accidental gunshot wounds to both hands and subsequently had the tips of the middle and fourth fingers on his left hand amputated. He saw no further active service and was allowed extended leave in England. In November 1919 he married Margaret Annie Waterman before returning to Australia the following month.