British Victoria Cross recipient. Harry Greenwood was born in Windsor in Berkshire, the eldest son of Charles Greenwood of Nottingham and Margaret Abernethy of County Tipperary in Ireland. He served as an officer in the South African War of 1899-1901, then went into business, but remained with the Territorial Army. In 1909, he married Helena Anderson of Newcastle; they had two daughters. When the First World War broke out, he rejoined the Army from the reserve of officers and was appointed to the 9th. battalion of the King's Own Yorkshire Infantry. On the 23rd. October 1918, at Ovillers in France, the advance of the Battalion was checked by enemy machine-gun fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Greenwood rushed the position single-handed, and killed the crew. With the aid of two runners, he took another machine-gun post, but then found that his command was surrounded by the enemy, who began to attack. Greenwood repulsed this attack and led his troops forward, and succeeded in capturing the last objective, along with 150 prisoners, eight machine-guns and one field gun. In 1919, Lt. Col. Greenwood retired from the Army, having been wounded thrice and mentioned in despatches thrice, and resumed his career as a company director, but served with the Pioneer Corpos during the Second World War. In addition to the Victoria Cross, he was awarded the Military Cross, the Distinguished Service Order (1918) and the O.B.E. (1944). He died at his house, 77 Home Park Road, in Wimbledon, South London. In order to find his grave, begin at the roundabout in the centre of Putney Vale, just East of the cemetery offices. The path which leads due South is Greenwood Road, named after the Colonel. Do not follow that one, however, but take Schofield Road to the South-East. Harry Greenwood's grave is about half-way down this road, in the front row on the left-hand side.
British Victoria Cross recipient. Harry Greenwood was born in Windsor in Berkshire, the eldest son of Charles Greenwood of Nottingham and Margaret Abernethy of County Tipperary in Ireland. He served as an officer in the South African War of 1899-1901, then went into business, but remained with the Territorial Army. In 1909, he married Helena Anderson of Newcastle; they had two daughters. When the First World War broke out, he rejoined the Army from the reserve of officers and was appointed to the 9th. battalion of the King's Own Yorkshire Infantry. On the 23rd. October 1918, at Ovillers in France, the advance of the Battalion was checked by enemy machine-gun fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Greenwood rushed the position single-handed, and killed the crew. With the aid of two runners, he took another machine-gun post, but then found that his command was surrounded by the enemy, who began to attack. Greenwood repulsed this attack and led his troops forward, and succeeded in capturing the last objective, along with 150 prisoners, eight machine-guns and one field gun. In 1919, Lt. Col. Greenwood retired from the Army, having been wounded thrice and mentioned in despatches thrice, and resumed his career as a company director, but served with the Pioneer Corpos during the Second World War. In addition to the Victoria Cross, he was awarded the Military Cross, the Distinguished Service Order (1918) and the O.B.E. (1944). He died at his house, 77 Home Park Road, in Wimbledon, South London. In order to find his grave, begin at the roundabout in the centre of Putney Vale, just East of the cemetery offices. The path which leads due South is Greenwood Road, named after the Colonel. Do not follow that one, however, but take Schofield Road to the South-East. Harry Greenwood's grave is about half-way down this road, in the front row on the left-hand side.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
Family Members
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See more Greenwood memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
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1939 England and Wales Register
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1911 England Census
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UK and Ireland, Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current
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Westminster, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935
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New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957
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