Croydon’s Weekly Standard – Saturday 10 October 1908

THE VETERANS’ SALUTE.

The funeral took place at Mitcham of George Green, seventy-four, a Crimean veteran who fought at the Alma and Inkerman, and before Sebastopol. Green had been eight years in Holborn Union Workhouse at Mitcham. He was in receipt of a special compassionate pension from Chelsea Hospital, and when he had an opportunity of leaving he refused.

The old soldier was given a military funeral. The coffin was borne on a gun-carriage, and escorted by detachments of the Grenadiers, Scots, and Coldstream Guards. The rear was brought up by twelve veterans, inmates of the workhouse.

They lined up as his body left the grounds, six on each side, and each old man stood with his hand raised to the salute as the coffin passed.