Garth Sarsfield (Greene) Massy-Greene (1919 - 2014)

Born 14 Aug 1919 in Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 21 Mar 2014 at age 94 in Ballina, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Garth (Greene) Massy-Greene was born in New South Wales, Australia

Garth Sarsfield Greene (the surname was changed to Massy-Greene in 1933) was born on 14th August 1919 in Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia. He was the younger son of Walter Greene and Lula Lomax. ^[1] The family later settled in Lismore.

Garth (Greene) Massy-Greene is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1940-1945
2/8th Australian Field Regiment

On 3rd May 1940 at Toorak, Victoria, twenty year-old Garth was commissioned into the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF), his nation's volunteer expeditionary force for the Second World War. His father was listed as next-of-kin. He was allocated to the 2/8th Field Regiment, Australian Artillery. ^[2] The 2/8th Regiment served as a unit of the 9th Division in the Middle East in the Battles of Tobruk, Libya and El Alamein, Egypt, before returning home. They spent the next two and a half years in North Queensland, training for jungle warfare. Garth was demobilised on 24th March 1945, before his regiment made an amphibious landing on Tarakan for the Borneo Campaign. ^[2] For his war service he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.

The Australian War Memorial holds a collection relating to Garth's war service; consisting of 25 letters written to his mother, one including a copy of the Tobruk Truth and another which includes photographs, a letter to his father, a letter to a Mr James, a letter written Private SX32141 Arthur John Elphick, Pa postcard made from a cigarette box sent to his grandmother, a letter written to him by his brother Brian, and four telegrams that he received from home. Their is also a journal kept by Garth giving an account of the departure from Tobruk, a special order by Brigadier JN Slater MC, and a document entitled 'The AA Defence of Tobruch [sic] Fortress'. ^[3]

Garth married Kristin Stella D'Abbs in 1967 in Sydney, New South Wales. ^[4]

Aged 94 years, he passed away on 21st March 2014 in Ballina, New South Wales. Following a funeral in the Rainbow Chapel, Rainbow Avenue, West Ballina his remains were interred in Alstonville Lawn Cemetery: ^[5]

"Relatives and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Garth's Life to be held at Rainbow Chapel, Rainbow Avenue, West Ballina on FRIDAY (March 28, 2014) commencing at 1.00pm. Following the service the cortege will leave for the Alstonville Lawn Cemetery. At Garth's request; please wear bright, informal dress. No flowers; donations can be made directly to the Australian Seabird Rescue or left with the Funeral Director."

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #43731/1919
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: VX13991 Lieutenant Garth Sarsfield Massy-Greene; accessed 18 Oct 2022
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial; accessed 18 Oct 2022
4. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #11592/1967
5. ↑ The Age 25 Mar 2014; accessed 18 Oct 2022

See also

• Dundas Family website: 'The Greene Family of Greenville'; accessed 18 Oct 2022.