8th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Charles Raymond Green, known as Raymond, was born on 7 August 1896 in Sheepscombe. He had three brothers and a sister. His parents William and Sarah Jane lived on the Green in Sheepscombe. William was a stone mason and builder, and his four sons would later join him in the same company, Messrs Orchard and Peer at Woodchester Rectory.
Raymond attended Sheepscombe School from August 1899 to October 1909 when he left with a Labour Certificate.
Raymond volunteered in the first month of the war and entered France on 18 July 1915, the same as his brother Nelson.
Private Green was killed in action on 21 March 1916, aged 19. The War Diary for 20/21 March 1916 describes what happened:
“The War Diary for 20/21 March 1916 describes what happened: A small mine was successfully exploded, a German mine gallery blown in. At 10pm five mines were fired at M30 central. Rapid fire was kept up for three minutes and then at intervals of five minutes for one minute till 11pm. In the meanwhile a bombing raid was made by the company of the 8 North Staffordshire Regiment on our left. At 12.45am the enemy retaliated by firing a mine just outside our wire opposite Colvin Street and opened machine gun and rifle fire on our parapet at the same time they shelled S Tilleloy CT and blocked it in three places.
The bombardment did little damage and we only had five casualties, four of which were slight. Capt C M Childe was killed by a bullet through the head.
At 10.45am the enemy opened an intense bombardment of our front line with shrapnel and HE the shells appeared to come from directions of Bois de Biez enfilading our line near Moated Grange Street. Considerable damage was done. The parapet was breached in several places and the supervision trench was in parts destroyed. Many rifles and much equipment was buried. The
bombardment lasted till noon. Retaliation was difficult to get and when obtained was weak and ineffective. At 12.15 Neuve Chapelle was bombarded. Many of the shells were lachrymatory and painful to the eyes.”
The battalion was relieved by the 8th North Staffordshire Regiment. The battalion marched back to billets at Riez Bailleul.
Private Charles Raymond Green is buried at La Gorgue Communal Cemetery. All four of the Green boys went to war; Nelson was also killed but Percy and Frederick survived.