Lieut-Col. H.F.L. Hilton-Green, DSO, MC

[Old Braggs]

Henry Francis Leonard Hilton-Green was born 23 June 1886. After attending the Royal Military College he joined the 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment 6 June 1906 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 7 October 1908. In 1910 the Regiment went to Shanghai, China.

In September 1914 the Regiment boarded the 'Arcadia' at Ching-Wang-Tao, bound for Sialkot, India. While off Shangai orders were received to proceed to England. The Regiment landed at Southampton 8 November 1914 and moved to a camp near Winchester.

18 December 1914 the Battalion embarked at Southampton aboard the 'City of Chester'. Arriving at La Havre, they moved to Aire by train. They were now in the 81st Brigade, 27th Division.

Prompted Captain 24 October 1914.

28 November 1914 he was attached to the Divisional Cyclist Company.

1 January 1916 Mentioned in Despatch (France)

14 January 1916 awarded Military Cross. No citation.

6 December 1916 M.I.D. (Salonika)

1 May 1917 awarded French Legion d'honneur (5th Class). (6 awards to the Glosters)

25 April 1918 appointed to the Distinguished Service Order. "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in an attack on a village. He advanced across most difficult country, overcoming considerable opposition, and though part of his column was delayed, he attacked and cleared the village. He led his men with the greatest determination, and by his courageous leadership defeated a force of over double his own strenth."

5 June 1918 M.I.D. (Salonika)

11 June 1918 M.I.D. (Salonika)

September 1918 - July 1919 commanding officer, 10th Battalion Devon Regiment.

20 September 1919 Awarded the Roumanian Order of the Star. (unique to a Gloster)

After the War he returned to 2nd Glosters and went to India. 1922-26 he was adjutant of the Simla Rifles. In 1928 he was 1 of only 10 men in the battalion who went to China in 1910 to return home to England with the Battalion.

Major 1 May 1925

He retired from the Regular Army 7 October 1929 (Lieutenant-Colonel) and settled in Somerset.

Lieut-Colonel and Brevet-Colonel, commanding 4th Devons. Retired February 1936.

During the Second War he served as an Officer Commanding Troopship and was awarded the Atlantic Star, unusual to an army officer.

[Old Braggs]

Hilton-Green died 20 January 1965 at Bradford Court, Bradford on Tone, Taunton, Somerset, aged 78. He left his estate to his daughter Judith.

From The Back Badge: "The passing of Colonel Hilton-Green came as another shock in January. Joining the Regiment in October 1906, Henry Hilton-Green served the whole of his Regimental service in the 61st. He accompanied the Battalion home from China in 1914, but served with the Army Cyclist Corps for the earlier part of the war. He did excellent service in Salonika and commanded the 10th Devons from Sept 1918 to July 1919. He was awarded the DSO and MC, the Legion of Honour and the Star of Roumania, and was mentioned 4 times in despatches. In action he was cool and quite unperturbed, and a gallant example to his men.

After the war, back with the 61st, he accompanied the Battalion to India and Shanghai and he was one of the ten members of the Battalion who went overseas with the 2nd Battalion in 1910 to return home with them in 1928. From 1922-26 he served as adjutant of the Simla Rifles. He retired in October 1929 and settled in Somerset. During the last war he served as an O.C. Troopship. Unhappliy his only son was killed in Italy serving with the Coldstream Guards.

F.M. (Field Marshall), as he was affectionately called by his contemporaries, was much of an invalid during his later years, under the devoted care of his wife and daughter. In his long ordeal, he showed unending pluck and cheerfulness. A keen sportsman in his day and always, and ever, an absolute gentleman."

[Old Braggs]

While commanding the 10th Devons, in November 1918 he received orders to proceed by forced marches to Bucharest, there to represent the British Army at the official entry of the King and Queen of Rumania into their recovered capital.

The march to Bucharest was not easy but the Battalion made it, to the delight of the Rumanian people who had been told that no British contingent was close enough to make it on time. The battalion lined the route of the Royal arrival and then marched through the city to a central square, where the King took the salute.

That is how Hilton-Green came to receive the Order of the Star.

Steve

[Kev in Deva]

While commanding the 10th Devons, in November 1918 he received orders to proceed by forced marches to Bucharest, there to represent the British Army at the official entry of the King and Queen of Rumania into their recovered capital.

The march to Bucharest was not easy but the Battalion made it, to the delight of the Rumanian people who had been told that no British contingent was close enough to make it on time. The battalion lined the route of the Royal arrival and then marched through the city to a central square, where the King took the salute.

That is how Hilton-Green came to receive the Order of the Star.

Steve

Hallo Steve

a very nice bar and its great to see a Royal Romanian award on a British medal bar, however do you know what the British Regulations stated with regards Romania being an ally (albeit an unwilling one) of the III Reich in WW2 and the wearing of this countries former decorations from WW1?? I imagine the wearing of the Romanian award in WW2 would have been frowned upon, if not forbidden.

Kevin in Deva.

[Ed_Haynes]

Hallo Steve

a very nice bar and its great to see a Royal Romanian award on a British medal bar, however do you know what the British Regulations stated with regards Romania being an ally (albeit an unwilling one) of the III Reich in WW2 and the wearing of this countries former decorations from WW1?? I imagine the wearing of the Romanian award in WW2 would have been frowned upon, if not forbidden.

Kevin in Deva.

No, it would have been forbidden. And this was enforced. All enemy awards were so treated (and there was much complaint at losing all those attractive Japanese awards after 1941!). Clearly this is a pre-war or post-war mounting job.

[Guest Rick Research]

EXCELLENT example of the very ideal of an Imperial officer!

Is it possible to get the citations for all those M.I.D.s? Why no citation for the M.C.? Or records regarding how/why he ended up with such a peculiar WW2 assignment?

[Ed_Haynes]

Is it possible to get the citations for all those M.I.D.s? Why no citation for the M.C.? Or records regarding how/why he ended up with such a peculiar WW2 assignment?

WWI MiD citations can SOMETIMES be found in the relevant war diaries.

No MC recommendations usually available for WWI, though you sometimes find them in war diaries too. For WWII, they are easy, of course.

If someone checked his service record in the NA (a.ka.. PRO), it might fill in some gaps. It may not be open yet, with the WWII service? Never have looked for records on natives (of the British Isles).

[notned]

Nice Group!

Thanks for telling his story!

Did you get these medals?

Lucky you!

Regards

Paul

[Old Braggs]

Hilton-Green's service records are not available yet, as he served after 1922.

His MC is a 'New Year' award, without published citation.

It was fortunate that the obituary mentioned his WWII service, otherwise the Atlantic Star would have been a real mystery.

Steve