GRIFFITHS, Wyndham Jones
| Service Number: | 57603 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 February 1918 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 9th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Perth, Western Australia , 12 September 1893 |
| Home Town: | Deeford, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Norwood State School Perth, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Grazier |
| Died: | Influenza, United Kingdom, 10 November 1918, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Sutton Veny (St. John) Churchyard, Wiltshire, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Moora St James Church WW1 Honour Roll, Moora WWI Honour Wall, Moora War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Feb 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 1918: | Involvement Private, 57603, 1st to 8th (QLD) Reinforcements, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jun 1918: | Embarked Private, 57603, 1st to 8th (QLD) Reinforcements, RMS Orontes, Sydney | |
| 10 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 57603, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 57603 awm_unit: 9th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-11-10 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Kearney
Wyndham Jones Griffiths
1893 - 1918
There was always an extra place set at the Christmas table in my Grandparents home. ‘For absent friends’ my Grandmother would always say and we included them in our toasts. It wasn’t until just recently that I realised that we were in fact honouring the memory of their first born son Wyndham. And I’m struck by the sad story of this young man, who tried valiantly to join up and who died on Armistice Day, having never fired a shot in anger.
Wyndham Jones Griffiths was born 12th September 1893 in North Perth, Western Australia, the eldest of the twelve children born to William David and Rose Eileen Griffiths (nee Fogg)
In 1906 the family moved to a 1200 acre plot of virgin land at Moora to establish a farm. Father, William David Griffiths, a skilled stonemason, had been hired to construct the Moora Town Hall, the Post Office and the Catholic Church, leaving Wyndham and the other boys to manage the farm ‘Allandale’.
Wyndham’s two younger brothers Llewellyn David Griffiths (my father) enlisted in 1916, joining the 10th Light Horse, and David William Griffiths enlisted in 1917 joining the 1st Machine Gun Squadron, but Whyndam as a farmer, was considered to be in a reserved occupation and was refused enlistment.
How envious he must have felt as he read letters from these two younger brothers telling of their exploits in Palestine.
He tried several times to enlist, but was refused on medical grounds (flat feet, weak chest), and on his reserved occupation. In desperation he travelled to an Uncle’s home in Queensland where he was finally successful. He enlisted at Rockhampton in 1918 giving his home address as Deeford Qld, his occupation as ‘grazier’ with his father as next-of-kin. His service no was 57603.
After basic training in Brisbane he joined the 9th Battalion and embarked on the 'Orontes' on 5th June 1918, disembarking at Liverpool on 11th August 1918.
He was initially attached to 5th Training Battalion from 15th August. On 18th August he reported sick to the operations clinic with a chest infection. Discharged back to his unit two weeks later, he again reported sick on 29th October 1918 and was admitted with influenza. He died, aged 25 years, on 11th November 1918.
On 14th November 1918 he was buried with full military honours in section 26 of the churchyard at St John the Evangelist Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England.
Courtesy of his niece Dawn Thorp
Click images to start slideshow.