John GREEN
Private 1269
1st Bn Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters)
Derbyshire Times 17 February 1900
Two men from Crich, and one from Fritchley, left their homes yesterday (Friday) for Derby, preparatory for embarkation for the seat of war. John GREEN and Joseph COLEMAN, both quarrymen, were reservists of the Grenadiers, and are splendid -looking fellows, standing over 6 feet. John William NOBLE, of Fritchley, also goes to the depot at Derby. He is a platelayer, and is going to the front. All three are married. They were entertained to dinner on Thursday by Dr MACDONALD, of Crich.
The above reports that John was a reservist with the Grenadiers, however, later reports and records have him serving with the Sherwood Foresters.
Belper News 23 March 1900
LOCAL SOLDIERS AT THE WAR
CRICH
Private J. GREEN, 1269,1st Derbyshire Regiment
The Medal Rolls show him awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with service clasps for Johannesburg, Cape Colony and the Orange Free State and the King's South Africa Medal with service clasps for 1901 and 1902.
[with thanks to Colin Renshaw].
Service Record
This states he served with the 9th Mounted Infantry, as Private,1269.
Prisoner – released on 09/12/1901 at Nr Virginia.
Note: Virginia is a gold mining town located in the Lejweleputswa District Municipality and on goldfields of the Free State province in South Africa about 140 km (90 mi) northeast of Bloemfontein the provincial capital. [source wikipedia]
Prisoners of War: [source www.quora.com]
It must however be noted that the Boer ability to keep POW’s detained effectively disappeared within the first year of the war as British forces systematically overran the Boer republics. For the largest part of the war the Boer’s could not keep POW’s and therefore simply let then go. More often than not this release was accompanied by an “uitskud”, the practice to strip them of their arms and ammunition, usable items, uniform and boots and to release them to walk back to their units. Although some of the British POW’s endured hardship up to the end of 1900 by far the largest percentage of those caught suffered only the slight humiliation of returning to their unit in their long johns.
Family details
John GREEN birth registered Q4
1868, Belper District
John Edward GREEN married Margaret OLIVER in Q4 of 1894.
Margaret OLIVER was baptised at Crich 5 October 1873 to Thomas and Elizabeth OLIVER of Crich Carr.
1901 census: Town End, Crich
Margaret GREEN, wife, 27, Army allowance, born Crich
John T GREEN, son 6, born Crich [John Thomas baptised 23 June 1895]
Mary E GREEN, daughter 4, born Crich [Mary Elizabeth baptised 7 June 1900]
Margaret E. P. GREEN, daughter 11 months , born Crich [Margaret Edith Pretoria baptised 7 June 1900
John GREEN was buried at Crich on 3 January 1906 aged 39 years.
Eight months later his wife, then suffered the loss of their six-year-old daughter Margaret Edith Pretoria GREEN.
Derbyshire Times 8 September 1906
The six year old daughter, Margaret Edith Pretoria, of Mrs John GREEN, passed away on Saturday last after a few days illness. The interment took place on Monday in the Parish Churchyard. Sarah WOOLLEY, Ada ENGLAND, Edith GREENHOUGH, and Beatrice MARTIN walked in front of the coffin, which was carried by John and T, SMITH, Bertha HOLMES and Ethel MARTIN. The chief mourners included mother (Mrs John GREEN), Jack and Lizzie, Mrs Samuel HARRIS, Mrs George OLIVER, Mr and Mrs T OLIVER, and Mr and Mrs LONGDON.
Margaret GREEN remarried in Q1 1908 to John William DAVIS and was with him and her three children in 1911 census living at Town End Crich.