Serving Brother of the Order of St John; 1914-15 Star (40571 PTE. S.E. GREENGRASS. R.A.M.C.); British War Medal (40571 PTE. S.E. GREENGRASS. R.A.M.C.); Victory Medal (40571 PTE. S.E. GREENGRASS. R.A.M.C.); Defence Medal - unnamed as awarded.
Sidney (Sydney) Edward Greengrass was born in Hastings, Sussex on 16 May 1892. He was awarded a First Aid Certificate in 1911 and probably joined the Royal Army Medical Corps not long after. When WWI broke out he served with them in the Balkans and Gallipoli, entering the theatre of war on 15 September 1915.
The South Eastern Advertiser of 8 January 1916 carried a photo of the Christmas Card he had drawn and sent home to his family. The caption read, "Lance Corporal S.E. Greengrass, R.A.M.C., at the Dardanelles, has sent his father, Mr J.A. Greengrass of 61 Ashburnham Road, Hastings, two novel Christmas "cards." The above picture is a photo of one of them. It is a biscuit with two bullets and a Turkish coin embedded, and the Red Cross on a piece of satin. Attached to the biscuit is a card bearing the words: "A Merry Christmas to you all, from Sid, 41st Field Ambulance, Gallipoli Peninsula," and on the other side the following remark about the biscuit: "Adversity is hard, but not so hard as this!"
The Hastings and St Leonard's Advertiser of 10 January 1918 carried another of his cards home, the caption, which includes a photograph of him, read thus: "Sergeant S.E. Greengrass, R.A.M.C. in Mesopotamia, and his Christmas Card, which he has sent home. The same soldier and artist sent another card in 1915 (sic) and it was produced in our Christmas Number of that year. Sergeant Greengrass was then in Gallipoli. He has not seen home (Hastings) since he joined up. The above portrait of him was taken in India,"
Greengrass survived the war and became a successful builder and contractor in Hastings. According to the 1939 Register he was living at 9 Nelson Road, Hastings and was also a "late Sergeant R.A.M.C."
He was made a Serving Brother of St John Ambulance and probably saw service with the Home Guard in WWII.
He died on 20 February 1975.
Medals are in good condition unless indicated otherwise. Sold together with copied research and two cap badges - one for St John Ambulance and the other for the R.A.M.C. - along with an original portrait photo of Greengrass.
