Brigadier-General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Wilfrith Gerald Key Green (3 November 1872 – 29 May 1937) was a Welsh officer in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

and later a

brigadier-general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...

. In the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

he served on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

and in the Sinai and Palestine campaign, where he commanded the 10th Cavalry Brigade. He also commanded the 1st Indian Cavalry Brigade in India after the war.

Early life

Green was born at

St Davids St Davids or St David's ( cy, Tyddewi, , "David's house”) is a city and a community (named St Davids and the Cathedral Close) with a cathedral in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Alun. It is the resting place of Saint David, W ...

, Pembrokeshire, Wales the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Green, his father was a minor canon of

St David's Cathedral St Davids Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi) is situated in St DavidsBritain's smallest city in the county of Pembrokeshire, near the most westerly point of Wales. Early history The monastic community was founded by Saint David, Abbot ...

British Army

He was commissioned as a second-lieutenant into the 3rd Battalion,

Green Howards The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), frequently known as the Yorkshire Regiment until the 1920s, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, in the King's Division. Raised in 1688, it served under vario ...

(Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) on 19 November 1892, part of the

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

. He later transferred to the regular battalions of the East Yorkshire Regiment. On 3 October 1897 he transferred from the East Yorkshire Regiment, still as a second-lieutenant but with seniority from 7 December 1895 to the Indian Staff Corps after a period of probation.

Indian Army

He was posted to the 32nd Lancers as of 20 March 1897. He was promoted Lieutenant 7 March 1898 and was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

7 November 1904. He had transferred to the

36th Jacob's Horse The 36th Jacob's Horse were a unit of cavalry of the British Indian Army. Origins They were raised by Lieut. John Jacob of the Bombay Artillery, as a unit of Irregular Horse, originally in 1839 (reformed 1846) to patrol the area of ' Scinde' ...

as a Squadron Commander 2 October 1910. He was Aide-de-Camp to the General Officer Commanding the

3rd (Lahore) Division The 3rd (Lahore) Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army, first organised in 1852. It saw service during World War I as part of the Indian Corps in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops ...

from 21 March 1911 to 15 October 1911. This was followed with his promotion to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

on 7 December 1913. In the

36th Jacob's Horse was in the

8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade The Lucknow Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1911 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War as part of the 1st Indian ...

, part of the

1st Indian Cavalry Division The 1st Indian Cavalry Division was a division of the British Indian Army which was formed at the outbreak of the First World War. It served on the Western Front, and was renamed the 4th Cavalry Division on 26 November 1916. In March 1918, the ...

, that was sent to the

in France in 1914. Green was appointed temporary commandant of the regiment 21 November 1915, a position he would hold, on and off, until 1921. In December 1917, serving as a temporary lieutenant-colonel he was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. In April 1918 the Indian cavalry regiments were moved from France to the Sinai and Palestine campaign. Green was given command of the 10th Cavalry Brigade on 21 September 1918. At the time he was still only a substantive major, but now a

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

lieutenant-colonel and temporary

. For his war service he was made a Companion of the

Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

in 1919.

Post war

Following a successful war service Green was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in May 1920. That was followed by promotion to colonel, and another brigade command, this time the 1st Indian Cavalry Brigade. He was invested into the Order of the Bath in 1927, just before transferring to the unemployed list then finally retiring on 18 February 1928.

Family life

Green married Lilian. His elder son Brigadier Percy William Powlett Green died on 23 February 2004. His younger son Wing Commander Wilfrith Peter Green was killed in action with the Royal Air Force on 1 March 1945. Green died at Penybont on 29 May 1937 aged 64."Obituary." Times ondon, England1 June 1937: 21. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 September 2013.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Wilfrith 1872 births 1937 deaths Indian Army cavalry generals of World War I Companions of the Order of the Bath Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Green Howards officers East Yorkshire Regiment officers People from St Davids