Bernard Green (1887 - 1971)

Ancestors

Biography

Bernard Green , also known as Pop, was a British soldier who fought in World War I and World War II. In World War I Green fought in two of the bloodiest battles, the Battle of Somme and the Battle of Passchendaele, and was wounded twice. Green was already 52 when he signed up to fight in the Second World War and his escape from a Stalag Luft III was immortalized in the Hollywood movie The Great Escape. Though Bernard was one of the 76 who escaped, he was captured and returned to Stalag Luft III.

Bernard Green was born on 23 December 1887 at Wooburn in Buckinghamshire. He was the son of Roland Green and his wife Jemima, born Jemima Collingridge. ^{[1] [2]}

In 1891 Bernard Green was living at Fair Home at Wooburn in Buckinghamshire, with his parents, Roland and Jemima, and his older sister Lorna. His age was given as 3, implying a birth date in 1887 or 1888. His birthplace was given as Wooburn, Buckinghamshire. ^[3]

In 1901 Bernard Green was at boarding school in Clifton near Bristol. [Presumably at Clifton College.] His age was given as 13, implying a birth date in 1887 or 1888. His birthplace was given as Bourne End, Buckinghamshire. ^[4]

Bernard Green died in Sussex in 1971. ^[2]

Research Notes

There is only one birth (given above) of a Bernard Green registered in 1887 or 1888 in a registration district covering any part of Oxfordshire. ^[5] A birth in Wooburn would have been registered in Wycombe registration district.

There are 2 possible Green-Collingridge marriages before 1891: 1 in 1884 in Edmonton registration district (Roland Green/Jemima Collingridge), and one in 1879 in West Bromwich registration district (Thomas Green/Emily Collingridge). The first is consistent with the 1891 census, so seems the obvious choice. ^[6]

His home in the 1891 census seems to have been in the hamlet of Cores End, but it is possible that "Bourne End", used as his birthplace in later censuses, may be a better description.

His father Roland Green seems to be the son of John Barcham Green (1823-).

Sources

1. ↑ General Register Office, birth registration index online (https://www.gro.gov.uk/); accessed 4 September 2022: GREEN, BERNARD; GRO Reference: 1888 Jan-Mar Quarter in WYCOMBE registration district; Volume 03A Page 674; mother's maiden name: COLLINGRIDGE
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} General Register Office, death registration index: accessed through FreeBMD on 4 September 2022: Death registered in Oct-Dec quarter 1971; GREEN, Bernard; Chichester registration district; volume 5h page 1627: date of birth given at registration of death: 23 December 1887
3. ↑ England and Wales 1891 census (Wooburn, Buckinghamshire): The National Archives of the UK: reference RG 12/1139 folio 113: Ancestry Record uki1891 #16301932
4. ↑ England and Wales 1901 census (Clifton, Gloucestershire): The National Archives of the UK: reference RG 13/2368 folio 56v: Ancestry Record uki1901 #12806222
5. ↑ search of FreeBMD 4 September 2022
6. ↑ search of FreeBMD 4 September 2022

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q65048627, en:Wikipedia