Harry Greenwood

Harry Greenwood VC, DSO & Bar, OBE, MC (25 November 1881 Windsor - 5 May 1948 Wimbledon) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

He was 36 years old, and an acting Lieutenant Colonel in the 9th Battalion, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, British Army, during the First World War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the V.C.

On 23 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 24 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.

His medal is held at the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum, Doncaster. Greenwood is buried at Putney Vale Cemetery.

Early life and family

Harry Greenwood was the eldest of nine children born to Charles Greenwood of Nottingham and Margaret Abernethy of Tipperary. Charles was a long serving soldier who attained the rank of col sergeant in the Grenadier Guards and later became a Yeoman of the Guard.

References

*"Monuments to Courage" (David Harvey, 1999)
*"The Register of the Victoria Cross" (This England, 1997)
*"VCs of the First World War — The Final Days 1918" (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)
*" (Derek Hunt 2003)

External links

* [http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/lonswest.htm Burial location of Harry Greenwood] "South West London"
* [http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbgreenw.htm News item] "Harry Greenwood's Victoria Cross donated to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum"