Private Fred Greenwood, 10th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) Service No. 12115.
Private Fred Greenwood.
Fred was born in Haworth on June 10, 1890 and baptised at Haworth on July 20. Parents Samuel and Fanny. Samuel was a weaver at a local worsted mill.
In 1891 Fred was just ten months old and they were living at 27, Hebden Road. He had two brothers and one sister. By 1901 Fred was ten and living at 18, Jay Street with his parents, five brothers and two sisters. Father Samuel was still a worsted weaver. Fred had enlisted with the 6th Battalion West Riding Regiment at Haworth on April 3, 1908 but had previous service with the 3rd Volunteer Battalion in Haworth before the Territorials were formed in 1908. He signed up for a further year's service in 1909, 1910 and 1911 and had attended the summer camps each year at Redcar, Peel, Ripon and Flamborough to maintain his training. He was discharged on March 31, 1913 having served five years.
In the 1911 census Fred was twenty years of age and living at 14, Ivy Street, Haworth Brow with his parents, two sisters and three brothers. His parents had had eleven children by this time, but five of them had died young. Samuel was still a worsted weaver and Fred was a spinning overlooker at a worsted mill. Fred enlisted with the West Riding Regiment in May, 1915 and would have transferred later, to the 10th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. He married Beatrice Mary Smith on December 9, 1916 at St Michael and All Angels Church in Haworth. He was living at 10, Jay Street in Haworth and was described as a 'Private in the 10th Duke of Wellington's Regiment' [This confirms his enlistment, and transfer to the 10th Battalion before this date.] On marriage, he was twenty-six years old. and Beatrice was twenty-four and living at 7, Bridgehouse Lane in Haworth.
War diary extract 10th Battalion West Riding Regiment, June 1917:
FRONT LINE near RAILWAY DUGOUTS. June 6.
The Battalion relieved the 10th Northumberland Fusiliers in the right sector of the right brigade on the 23rd Divisional Front on the night of the 5th-6th. At 3 am on the 6th the enemy were reported to be forming up for an attack, the Battalion 'stood to' but no action followed. The enemy shelled the trenches at intervals during the day but did little damage. Orders for the attack were issued as copies A & B attached. June 7. 2.30 am, At 2.30 am on the 7th the Battalion was formed up in assembly formation ready for the attack. All dugouts were cleared out ready for the MINES going up at zero hour 3.10 am. During the half hour before zero there was hardly any shelling in either side. At 3.10 am the mine under HILL 60 and that under THE CATERPILLAR was exploded, all our artillery opened fire and the attack was launched.
At 3.30 am Battalion HQ moved forward from LEEK TRENCH to the GERMAN SUPPORT LINE. The Battalion had gained all it's objectives by 3.45 am and began to dig themselves in. The 9th Yorkshire Regiment passed through our line at carried on the attack according to programme. At some point during this attack, Fred was killed. Buried in grave 14, row E plot II of Woods Cemetery in Belgium.
He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.
He is remembered on the main Haworth War Memorial, the roll of honour at St. Michael and All Angels church, and on the Haworth Oddfellows Roll of Honour in the care of Wyedean Weaving in Haworth.
Source information:
Birth, marriage and death records.
1891, 1901 and 1911 census.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
Army service records.
Keighley News archives, Keighley Library.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
National Archives war diary for 10th Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment.
