4 ▁January ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁– ▁ 2 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 8 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁career ▁officer ▁cred ited ▁with ▁eight ▁aer ial ▁vict ories . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁pione er ▁among ▁f ighter ▁a ces , ▁and ▁his ▁vict ories ▁were ▁scored ▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁the at res ▁and ▁flying ▁environments . ▁He ▁was ▁successful ▁on ▁both ▁the ▁Western ▁Front , ▁in ▁Greece , ▁and ▁on ▁his ▁home ▁soil . ▁He ▁also ▁commanded ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁night ▁f ighter ▁squad rons . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁service ▁ ▁Green ' s ▁military ▁career ▁started ▁hum b ly ; ▁on ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁just ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁began , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁from ▁rif le man ▁to ▁temporary ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁( Count y ▁of ▁London ) ▁Battalion , ▁The ▁London ▁Regiment ▁( Que en ' s ▁West min ster ▁R if les ). ▁By ▁ 2 2 ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁flying ▁officer ▁observer . ▁He ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁No . ▁ 5 ▁Squadron ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front . ▁Mann ing ▁the ▁guns ▁in ▁a ▁two - se ater ▁aircraft ▁pil oted ▁by ▁Frederick ▁Pow ell , ▁Green ▁brought ▁down ▁a ▁D F W ▁two - se ater ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁transferred ▁from ▁F lying ▁Officer ▁Ob server ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁F lying