Harry Greenwood VC DSO* OBE MC

b. 25/11/1881 Windsor, Berkshire. d. 05/05/1948 Wimbledon, London.

Henry “Harry” Greenwood (1881-1948) was born on 25th November 1881 at Windsor Infantry (later Victoria) Barracs, Sheet Street, Windsor. He was baptised at the Garrison Chapel, Cork, Ireland on 28th March 1882. He was known as Harry or Stalky in the family due to his fondness for the Rudyard Kipling character in Stalky and Co. His father, Charles, was a plumber. He enlisted in the Grenadier Guards in 1875 for 12 years. He married Margaret Abernethy on 2nd October 1880 at Holy Trinity Church, Marylebone, London. He would extend his military service to complete 21 years in 1884. He later became a Yeoman of the King’s Bodyguard at St James’ Palace in 1903 and kept watch during King Edward VII’s lying in state at Westminster Hall in May 1910. Harry had eight siblings.

Harry was educated privately because his parents moved so frequently. He was employed as an apprentice compositor with The Times newspaper at Printing House Square, London. Later he was employed by Robert Williams’ mining company as his private secretary from May 1902 until 1914. Williams was an associate of Cecil Rhodes and formed the Zambesia Exploring Company and Tanganyika Concessions Ltd. Harry met him whilst serving with the South African Constabulary. He accompanied Williams on frequent trips to South Africa.

Harry married Helena Emily Anderson, from Gosforth, Northumberland, on 9th January 1909 at St Clement Danes Church, London. They would have four children – Mollie, Harry, Alice and Violet.

Harry Greenwood
VC DSO* OBE MC

Harry was a member of 1st Cadet Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps based at 2 Finsbury Square, London from 21st July 1897 and was promoted to sergeant in 1899. His father was a sergeant major and all his brothers joined the Cadet Battalion as they became old enough. Harry enlisted in the City of London Imperial Volunteers on 1st January 1900. He departed from Southampton and arrived in South Africa in mid February. He served in the Second Boer War until October 1900 and took part in the Battle of Diamond Hill. When the unit was ordered home, Harry remained behind and transferred to the South Africa Light Horse. In June 1901 he transferred to the South Africa Constabulary, a mounted unit raised by Robert Baden-Powell. However, having been thrown from his horse, he was invalided home in October 1901.

Harry was commissioned as a temporary captain on 4th April 1915 and joined 9th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. The Battalion was inspected by King George V as it marched through Windsor, whilst being billeted at Maidenhead. He would eventually be posted to the Western Front on 11th September 1915.

In January 1916, he was awarded the Military Cross for his actions on 26th September 1915 near Hill 70, Loos, France. There was no citation for his actions. In July 1918, he was awarded the DSO for devotion to duty on 23rd March 1918 during two heavy attacks, made under cover of mist, which were repulsed, but a hostile machine-gun detachment which succeeded in getting within 50 yards of the line suffered the troops severely and an officer and two men ran back to cover. The battalion being very short of machine gunners owing to casualties, Greenwood, with an NCO rushed out with greatest daring, found an officer and men hiding in a hollow with a heavy machine-gun, and made them carry it back, being all the time under intense fire. The gun was used later on the enemy with great effect. The DSO was presented to him by the King on 10th July 1918.

On 23rd October 1918 at Ovillers, France, when the advance of the battalion was checked by enemy machine gun fire, Lieutenant-Colonel Greenwood single-handedly rushed the position and killed the crew. Subsequently, accompanied by two runners, he took another machine-gun post, but then found that his command was almost surrounded by the enemy, who started to attack. Repulsing this attack, the colonel led his troops forward, capturing the last objective with 150 prisoners, eight machine guns, and one field gun. On 24th October he again inspired his men to such a degree that the last objective was captured and the line held in spite of heavy casualties.

For his actions at Ovillers, he was awarded the VC (London Gazette, 26th December 1918), and was also awarded a Bar to his DSO (London Gazette, 2nd December 1918) for conspicuous gallantry during an attack on 23rd-24th August 1918. Although ill, Greenwood refused to leave his battalion and led the first line to the attack, and after being injured by the bursting of a shell captured the first objective. On reaching the second objective he organised his battalion and another, and took up a defensive position from which he beat off two enemy counter-attacks and held his ground until relieved. Next day, when the advance was held up by very heavy machine-gun fire, he made daring reconnaissance, with the result that he succeeded in getting round the enemy’s flank. Throughout he set a splendid example of pluck and devotion to duty to all ranks.

Harry Greenwood was invested with the Victoria Cross, and the Bar to his DSO, by King George V at Buckingham Palace on the 8th May 1919. In 1919, Lt. Col. Greenwood retired from the Army, having been wounded thrice and mentioned in despatches thrice. He was made a life member of West Essex Golf Club, Chingford, Essex on 2nd May 1919. He attended the 1920 VC Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and was one of the Honour Guard at the burial of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey on 11th November 1920.

Harry returned to his old employment with Robert Williams’ mining company and went to Africa as commercial manager of the Benguela Railway in Portuguese West Africa (now Angola) in the early 1920s. In about 1924 he became resident director at Lobito Bay, Angola of the Williams Group companies, including the Benguela Railway Co, Benguela Estates Ltd, Angola Estates Ltd and Zambesia Exploring Co. He remained there for 10 years and then returned to work in the head office in London. His wife and children returned from Angola in March 1930 and the family lived in Dulwich Village before settling in Wimbledon.

He served in the Army Officers Emergency Reserve from 15th February 1940. He received a Regular Army Emergency Commission as a lieutenant in the Pioneer Corps on 4th July. On 5th October he was appointed war substantive major and temporary lieutenant colonel to command No 12 Pioneer Corps Training Centre in Liverpool. The centre suffered bomb damage and moved to Great Barr, Birmingham, then on to Oldham, Lancashire where it remained until July 1943. It eventually went to Prestatyn, Wales. He offered to take a unit over to France in June 1944 but was turned down due to his age. He was appointed OBE for his work with the Pioneer Corps in June 1944. He was promoted acting colonel in 1945 and relinquished command of No 12 Pioneer Corps on 2rd June 1946. On 7th June he was rushed to hospital with severe abdominal pain and had an operation on an obstruction. This was followed by a second operation for cancer, and the tumour was removed. He was invited to the Victory Day Celebration Dinner in June 1946 but was unable to attend as he was in hospital.

He died at his house, 77 Home Park Road, in Wimbledon, South London on 5th May 1948, and was buried in Putney Vale Cemetery. He is commemorated with Greenwood Road in Putney Vale Cemetery, with a blue plaque at Victoria Barracks in Windsor, a remembrance garden in Kidwells Park, Maidenhead, at a VC Memorial Garden in Windsor, with a VC commemorative stone at Bachelors Acre Memorial Garden in Windsor (unveiled on 23rd October 2018), and on the memorial outside Wandsworth Town Hall.

His medal group comparising of the VC, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, Queens South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with four clasps, King’s South Africa Medal 1902 with two clasps, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19 with Mentioned in Despatches oakleaf, Defence Medal 1939-45, War Medal 1939-45, King George V Silver Jubilee Medal 1935 and King George VI Coronation Medal 1937. At a small ceremony held in Doncaster on the 17th July 2002, the family of Lieutenant Colonel Harry Greenwood donated his Victoria Cross medal group to the Regimental Museum of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in Doncaster.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: KING’S OWN YORKSHIRE MUSEUM, DONCASTER.

BURIAL PLACE: PUTNEY VALE CEMETERY, LONDON.

BLOCK N, GRAVE 71-C