Lieutenant Colonel W.J. Green
91st (Elgin) Battalion

We learned that the possibility of out going to France intact was remote. It appeared that the C.O. with the most pull with old Sir Sam Hughes had the best chance to keep his command and as our C.O., Col. Green, was never given to cringing and kow-towing to the war time brass hats, he, of course, was not one of the favored ones.

(Harold Becker, 91st Bn., Memoirs, 161)

William James Green was a Boer War veteran and member of the 25th Regiment since 1893. He was born in St. Thomas, Ontario on 8 October 1875. In December 1915, Green was authorized to raise the 91st Battalion based in his hometown and raised from Elgin county.

After it arrived in England in July 1916, the troops were dispersed among the 12th, 33th, 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th and 39th Battalions. Green went on a two week tour of the front with the 18th Battalion in March 1917. He returned to Canada the next month and was then struck off strength.

After the war, he hoped to validate his contribution with an “A” Class Badge granted to veterans who had served in France in actual combat. As his time on the front was confined to a short tour, his request was denied.

Green died in St. Thomas on 25 October 1958.