GRIFFIN, Alfred
| Service Number: | 1317 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Farrier Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 1st Divisional Ammunition Column |
| Born: | Chorleywood, Three Rivers District, Hertfordshire, England, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Richmond (V), Yarra, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farrier |
| Died: | Died of Illness, Weymouth, Dorset England, United Kingdom, 15 July 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Dorset, England Plot II, Row C, Grave 3171 Headstone Inscription "LOVING HUSBAND OF EMILY GRIFFIN REST IN PEACE FROM EARTHLY STRIFE", |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1317, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Sep 1914: | Promoted AIF WW1, Farrier Sergeant, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 15 May 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Farrier Sergeant, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 1317, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: '' embarkation_ship: HMAT Marere embarkation_ship_number: A21 public_note: '' | |
| Date unknown: | Embarked 1317, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Marere |
Help us honour Alfred Griffin's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Son of James and Maria GRIFFIN; husband of E. H. GRIFFIN, of 9 Kerferd Place, Albert Park, Victoria, Australia
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 15th July…… Alfred Griffin was born at Chorley Wood, Watford, Hertfordshire, England on 21st March, 1879.
From a Newspaper notice for Estate of Emily Henrietta Griffin (1952) – Emily Henrietta Symons, formerly of 17 Oak Street, Bishop Stortford, Herts, England (born 1874 in England) married Farrier Sergeant Alfred Griffin at Bombay in 1908.
According to information supplied by his widow Emily Henrietta Griffin for the Roll of Honour – Alfred Griffin served for 18 years with the British Army (15th Kings Hussars) & came to Australia when he was 36 years old.
[Alfred Griffin attested with Hussar Regiment on 15th November, 1894. He was aged 18 years & 3 months & was issued a Service number of 3354.]
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 24th August, 1914 as a 37 year old, married, Farmer from Richmond, Victoria.
Farrier Sergeant Alfred Griffin (surname listed as Griffen on Embarkation Roll), Service number 1317, embarked on HMAT Marere (A21) with the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade – Brigade Ammunition Column in October, 1914. (Date of Embarkation not listed on Casualty Form – Active Service. Exact date not listed on Australian War Memorial website).
He joined M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) on 8th April, 1915.
On 22nd March, 1916 Farrier Sergeant Griffin proceeded from Alexandria to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 28th March, 1916.
Farrier Sergeant Alfred Griffin was transferred to 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, Australian Field Artillery on 15th May, 1916. He was taken on strength of D.A.C. & posted to No. 2 Section on the same day.
He reported sick on 17th January, 1917 & was admitted to “1st A.R.R. Stat.” in France on 17th January, 1917 with Varicose Ulcer. Farrier Sergeant Griffin was transferred to 1st Australian Field Ambulance then transferred to 38th Casualty Clearing Station. He was transferred to No. 5 Ambulance Train on 19th January, 1917 & was admitted to No. 9 General Hospital, Rouen, France on 20th January, 1917 with I.C.T. (inflammation of connective tissues) Right Leg. Farrier Sergeant Griffin was transferred on 21st January, 1917 to No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Rouen, France.
On 9th February, 1917 Farrier Sergeant Griffin joined A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Etaples, France from Hospital.
Farrier Sergeant Griffin was written up for a Crime on 7th March, 1917 while posted at A.G.B.D. – On 27th February, 1917 neglecting to Parade for Duty when warned. He was severely reprimanded by Officer Commanding, Australian General Base Depot.
He proceeded to England on 8th April, 1917 from A.G.B.D. at Etaples to be P. Base (Permanent Base) & was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, England on 10th April, 1917 from overseas.
The Medical History form for Farrier Sergeant Alfred Griffin has the following: “Boarded Weymouth 10.4.17. Finding:- Permanently unfit for General Service. Fit for Home Service. (signed) Capt. M.O. (Medical Officer) in charge Verne Citadel.”
Farrier Sergeant Griffin was marched out from No. 2 Command Depot (Verne Citadel) on 21st April, 1917 & was marched in to No. 3 Camp, Parkhouse, Wiltshire on the same day.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire & Dorset. Later Training & Convalescing Units were combined under the one Command Depot.
On 8th May, 1917 Farrier Sergeant Griffin was detached for temporary duty with Australian Provost Corps at Tidworth, Wiltshire. He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth on 6th June, 1917 from Tidworth.
He was sent sick to Sidney Hall Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset on 14th July, 1917 from No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth.
Farrier Sergeant Alfred Griffin died at 7.50 pm on 15th July, 1917 at Sidney Hall Military Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England from Pneumonia.
He was buried in Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Weymouth, Dorset, England where 82 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/d---g.html
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