GREENWOOD, William Pte. 15854

William Greenwood

William Greenwood

William Greenwood was one of four children born to Kate and John T. Greenwood.

Prior to joining the Pals he worked as a Joiner.

He was known to have been wounded during the attack on Serre on the 1st July 1916. Local records show that he married Mary Jane Brown at St. George’s Church, Chorley in last quarter of 1916 (more than likely after he had recovered). He was transferred to the 3rd (Depot) Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment, then the 7th Battalion and eventually back to the Chorley Pals in France.

He died on the 8th September 1917 at No. 8 General Hospital at Bois-Guillaume near Rouen after being gassed. The Battalion War Diary for the night of September 4th / 5th records two Companies at Railway Embankment, Vimy to the north- west of Arras. They were subject to heavy shelling with mustard gas, causing 119 casualties.

William Greenwood is buried in Bois-Guillaume Communal Cemetery Extension – on his grave is the inscription “In memory of a beloved husband”. She re-married after the war, marrying William Sherrington at St. George’s in Chorley during 1924.