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2nd Lieutenant Denys Edward GREENHOW
45 Squadron Royal Flying Corps Date of birth: 11th August 1897 Date of death: 6th March 1917 Killed in action aged 19 Buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Plot X Row A Grave 12
Denys Edward Greenhow was born at the Vicarage, Chidecock, Bridport in Dorset on the 11th of August 1897 the second son of the Reverend Edward Henry Greenhow Vicar of Chidecock, and Gertrude Mary (nee Petch) Greenhow of Chidecock Rectory, later of 85 Royal Parade Eastbourne in Sussex. He was christened by his father at Chidecock parish church on the 9th of October 1897. He was educated at Cleveland House School, Dorchester Road in Weymouth and at Lancing College where he was in Heads House from September 1910 to the 17th of December 1915. He became a House Captain in September 1914 and was appointed as Head of House in February 1915. He was a member of the 2nd XI Cricket team in 1915 and was in both the 2nd and 1st XI for Football in 1915, as well as captaining Heads House in the House Football Final of 1915. He was in the Running VIII in 1914 and was appointed as a Prefect in January 1915. He was a Company Sergeant Major in the Officer Training Corps, achieving Certificate A on the 31st of March 1914, and attended all the annual camps from 1912 to 1914. He gained his Higher School Certificate in 1914 and in July 1915. He was secretary of the Shakespeare Society in 1915 and was both Librarian and Senior Librarian the same year. On the 4th of December 1915, while still at School, he underwent a medical examination at Millbank where it was recorded that he was 5 feet 10 inches tall and that he weighed 15 stones. He applied for a commission in the 3rd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (Special Reserve) on the 8th of December 1915 in an application which was supported by the Reverend Bowlby, Head Master of Lancing College. On the 24th of February 1916 he formerly enlisted in the army at the recruiting office in Eastbourne as Private S/14927 and was sent for officer training at No. 3 Officer Cadet Battalion at Bristol University on the following day. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on probation in the Royal Flying Corps on the 6th of July 1916 and went to France as an Observer in early October. He was promoted to Flying Officer (Observer) on the 17th of January 1917 which was antedated to the 15th of October 1916. Early in 1917 he went home on leave and spent two days of it at Lancing. From the 9th of February 1917 he attended No.1 School of Aeronautics and on the 19th of February 1917 he returned to France with 45 Squadron. On the 6th of March 1917 he was flying in a Sopwith Strutter piloted by Captain J.E. MacKay. They were returning to base with slight engine trouble when they encountered 5 enemy aircraft over the Houlthust Forest and soon became engaged in combat. During the fight Greenhow was wounded. "I am hit" he said to his pilot as McKay flew for home. "Is it bad" he was asked and the reply was "Yes, I'm afraid it is". He did not speak again. They were forced down at Abeele; MacKay survived but Denys Greenhow died of his wounds. His mother received the following telegram dated the 7th of March 1917: - "Deeply regret to inform you 2/Lt. D.E. Greehow RFC died of wounds March sixth. The Army Council express their sympathy." His Flight Commander wrote in a diary entry:- "In Greenhow we have lost one our best and cleverest observers, one of the cleverest I have ever known." His Major wrote:- "He was loved by every officer in the Squadron" His brother, Lieutenant Maurice Wyvil Greenhow OL, was also an Observer in the Royal Flying Corps with 8 Squadron and became a prisoner of war when he was shot down on the 25th of September 1915. He survived the war and was repatriated on the 18th of November 1918. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Eastbourne in Sussex and on the memorial at Chidecock, Dorset.

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