Forename: Alfred Oliver William
Surname: Greening
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment: Welsh Regiment
Institution: St Paul’s Practising School
Alfred Oliver William Greening was born on 4 September 1921. He was the son of Charles Edward and Elizabeth Greening and lived at 57 St Paul’s Street North, Cheltenham. He was educated at St Pauls Practising School from April 1934 to March 1936 and left to work at the Gloster Aircraft Company.
Alfred volunteered to serve in the army in 1939 and was transferred to 1/5th Battalion The Welch Regiment, heading over to France two weeks after D-Day. He was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field. Lance Corporal Greening was killed by heavy shelling and mortar just inside the Dutch border on 24 September 1944 aged 23. He is buried at Bergen-Op-Zoom War Cemetery. The headstone reads “At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember him”. His name appears on both the Roll of Honour of the Parish of St. Pauls Church and the Borough of Cheltenham War Memorial. His Parents were invited to receive the Military Medal from King George VI.