Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, Waziristan 1919-21 (2 Lt. E. A. J. Greene, 2-67 Pjbs.) nearly extremely fine £350-450

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of Angela and the late Douglas Bertram.

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Ernest Arnold Jeffries Greene was killed in an enemy night attack on the British Tank line of communications at Kaur Bridge, south of Manzai, on 21-22 October 1920. The incident is described in the Official Record of the North West Frontier Operations:

‘They selected the night of the Dewali festival for the raid. At 2230 hours on the night of 21-22 October a mixed gang of some 120 Wazirs and Mahsuds gained admittance through one of the gates with the assistance of a Pathan confederate employed in the camp. One party secured the signal centre and cut all telephone and telegraph lines, another moving quietly surprised the officers mess, where a few officers were still sitting, among them the post commander who was wounded with the first shots fired. As a result of the raid, one British officer [Greene], two British soldiers and 38 Indians were killed. Three British officers and 46 Indians were wounded. Twenty-six rifles, a quantity of ammunition, and a number of horses and mules were carried off.’

At the time of the attack, Greene was attached to the 2/90 Punjabis. He was buried in Tank Cemetery and his name is commemorated on the Delhi memorial.