Charles Hercules Green
| Charles Hercules Green | |
|---|---|
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Charles Green in Wirui, New Guinea, in 1945.
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| Nickname(s) | 'Chuckles' |
| Born | 26 December 1919 Grafton, Australia |
| Died | 1 November 1950 (aged 30) Anju, North Korea |
| Buried at | United Nations Memorial Cemetery Pusan, South Korea |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1936–50 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands held |
2/11th Battalion 41st Battalion 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Order Silver Star (United States) |
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Hercules Green DSO (26 December 1919 – 1 November 1950) was a senior officer in the Australian Army. He served as a battalion commander in World War II, and again later during the Korean War, where he was killed in action while commanding the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. He was the youngest battalion commander in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), and was reputed to have been one of the Australian Army's better unit-level commanders.
Born on 26 December 1919 at Grafton, New South Wales, Charles Green was the second of three children to Hercules John Green and Bertha de Ville, and was raised at Swan Creek. He attended school at Swan Creek Public School and Grafton High School. In 1933, he began working for his father on the family dairy farm; during this time he also undertook odd jobs ploughing and building roads. He also became a cricketer and horseman of some note. On 28 October 1936, at the age of 16, he enlisted in the 41st Battalion, a part-time Militia infantry unit. By 1938 he had been promoted to sergeant, before later being commissioned as a lieutenant in March 1939.
With the outbreak of World War II, Green volunteered for overseas service and enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 13 October 1939. He was subsequently posted to the 2/2nd Battalion, which was one of the first units raised upon the outbreak of the war and formed part of the 16th Brigade that was assigned to the 6th Division. The 2/2nd Battalion was deployed to the Middle East in February 1940; however, after accidentally injuring himself, Green missed out on taking part in 6th Division's first combat action, which took place during the North African campaign between December 1940 and January 1941. In March he was promoted to captain, and the following month the battalion was committed to Greece to repel a German invasion. During the fighting that followed Green saw action at Pineios Gorge on 18 April. The British and Commonwealth forces were quickly overwhelmed by the larger German forces, and in the subsequent retreat Green evaded capture by undertaking a hazardous journey through the Aegean Islands, through Turkey, to Palestine, which he reached on 23 May.
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