Harry William Green was born in Hemel Hempstead on Sunday, 25th August 1895 the second son of Robert Green and Mary Keen, who had three children together. These were Robert Charles, Harry William and the youngest, Frances Violet. His older brother Robert, a regular soldier with over twelve years service, also fought in the Great War and survived the conflict. Harry’s father Robert ran a Bakery and Grocers shop at 52 Cotterell’s Road (now Cotterells) and the family lived next door at number 51. Harry attended Boxmoor JMI school on St John’s Road and he started there in February 1902, transferring from the Infant’s department at Bury Mill End School. He completed his education at Boxmoor and left on the 29th July 1909 to start work in an ‘engineer’s’ shop. Of the forty-three boys who started at Boxmoor JMI in 1902 along with Harry, seven were also killed during the Great War, almost 20% of the class.

By 1911 aged fifteen, Harry had changed jobs and now worked as a ‘Baker’ employed by one David Cox and he lived with the Cox family in Church Lane, Longworth near Abingdon. By the time of his enlistment he had moved to London Colney, near St Albans, where he continued to work as a Baker. Harry enlisted under the ‘Derby’ (Group) Scheme attesting at St Albans on 20th December 1915 and then called up for service in January 1916. On completion of his basic training he was sent to France and although the exact date of his arrival is not known, it was around June 1916.

When he did go he was transferred to the 9th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment which was under the orders of the 74th Brigade in the 25th Division. Harry arrived with his new battalion just in time to fight in the opening action at the Somme offensive in July, in the Battle of Albert. This was followed immediately by the next major push at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge. Both actions resulted in heavy casualties for the division but Harry came through unscathed.

He fought in the Battle of Pozières in late July and on into August, before the Battalion was relieved and moved to Abbeville for rest. On the 9th October at Ancre Heights, in appalling ground conditions, the Battalion helped captured the northern face of ‘Stuff’ Redoubt and held off ferocious German counter attacks. Relief finally came on 22nd/23rd October when Harry and his comrades moved to the Ploegsteert sector on the French-Belgian border.

The first few months of 1917 was relatively quiet for the Battalion, but in June this changed when the 9th Loyal North Lancashires fought in the Battle of Messines. This was a costly encounter and the casualties for the month totalled: "78 Killed, 284 wounded and 6 Missing", more than a third of the Battalion fighting strength. In October Harry fought in the action to capture the strategically important Westhoek Ridge. The Battalion was involved in the successful capture of the north end of the ridge which was then held but at a high cost: 339 men were killed, wounded or posted missing.

Harry was one of the casualties and he died on Friday, 10th August 1917. A month later a report of his death appeared in the Hemel Gazette. 

Harry is remembered with Honour on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium, Panel 41 and 43

He was only 21 years old when he died.

Harry was eligible for the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.