Victor Carlton GRIFFIN

GRIFFIN, Victor Carlton

Service Number: 2600
Enlisted: 16 June 1915, 6 years Cadets
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 3rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Granville, New South Wales, Australia, 16 April 1898
Home Town: Stanwell Park, Wollongong, New South Wales
Schooling: Sydney Technical High School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Junior porter
Died: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia , 12 August 1973, aged 75 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials: Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour
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World War 1 Service

16 Jun 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2600, 3rd Infantry Battalion, 6 years Cadets
9 Aug 1915: Involvement Private, 2600, 3rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: ''
9 Aug 1915: Embarked Private, 2600, 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney
22 Dec 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 3rd Infantry Battalion
11 Sep 1918: Discharged AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2600, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Granted Cadetship in Indian army

Help us honour Victor Carlton Griffin's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From AWM Biography

2600 Private (Pte) Victor Carlton Griffin
, 3rd Battalion, on leave after recovering from wounds received at Gallipoli, and illness. He is wearing a colour patch (probably brigade level) and machine gun qualifications badge on his right sleeve of his coat. A junior porter in civilian life, Pte Griffin put his age up to enlist and embarked with the 8th Reinforcements aboard HMAT Runic (A54) from Sydney on 16 June 1915. Following his recuperation in England, Pte Griffin rejoined his unit in Egypt before deploying to the Western Front. For a time he served with the 2nd and 5th Field Survey Companies, Royal Engineers, then returned to the 3rd Battalion, where he was appointed Lance Corporal. He discharged from the AIF on 11 September 1918 as the result of being on selection for a cadetship at the Cadet College, Quetta, India. Following training he was commissioned Second Lieutenant and posted to the 10th Gurkha Rifles, serving in the Third Afghan War in 1919. In 1922, with the rank of Lieutenant, he was posted to the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry, however after only one month, he transferred to the Royal Air Force unit in Karachi where he trained as a reconnaissance pilot and later flew reconnaissance sorties along the Afghanistan border. In 1925 Griffin was promoted to Captain and was stationed in the Sind Province, Karachi, where he married Myra Julie Rieu. During the Second World War he continued to serve with the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry. In 1941 he was Second-in-Command of the 2nd Battalion during Operation Battleaxe, an attempt to relieve the siege of Tobruk. From 1941-1942, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded the 3rd Battalion at Cyprus, then at Salum (Sollum), Egypt. Griffin remained with the 3rd Battalion as part of the Middle Eastern Forces until January 1944. He was Brigade Commander, 11th Indian Brigade, during the 4th Indian Division's involvement in the war in Italy. In 1945 he became Commanding Officer of the Mahratta Light Infantry Sub Area Regimental Centre, Sialkot, India, and in 1946 was promoted to the permanent rank of Brigadier and given command of the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry Regimental Centre, Belgaum, India. The Australian War Memorial holds a Turkish map acquired by Pte Griffin at Lone Pine (EXDOC113), a portion of a First World War trench map from France (PUB01535) and a manuscript 'Brigadier Victor Carlton Griffin 1898-1973 (MSS2039).

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Biography contributed by Sydney Technical High School

Victor Carlton Griffin, born on April 16, 1898, in Granville, New South Wales, Australia, lived a brave, courageous, and service-focused life. Starting from his early years at Sydney Technical High School, he went on to become a highly respected military leader and endured a military career spanning two World Wars. 


Victor Carlton Griffin's early life was defined by a sense of responsibility. He attended Sydney Technical High School, where he showed an interest in service by joining the cadets for six years. Living in Stanwell Park, New South Wales, Griffin worked as a porter. At 17 he lied about his age to join the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) by claiming he was 18. On September 9 1915 he departed from Australia as a Private in the 3rd Infantry Battalion on board the HMAT Runic (A54) beginning a journey that would forever alter his destiny.


Griffin's military career in World War I was filled with trials and brave acts of service. Initially part of the 3rd Infantry Battalion he took part in the grueling Gallipoli Campaign where he was hospitalised with Dysentary and spent time in England to rest. Following recovery he rejoined his unit in Egypt. Later served in France and Belgium. His responsibilities expanded as he transitioned into a signaller, within the Australian Corps Signal Company tasked with maintaining communication lines amidst circumstances. As a signaller during key battles in France and Belgium, Griffin played a vital role in maintaining communication lines. In the chaotic environment of war, his work ensured that orders could be relayed swiftly between different units, which was crucial in coordinating the movements of troops during battles like those at the Somme and Passchendaele. e was elevated to the rank of Lance Corporal on December 22 1917.His service continued until his discharge on September 11, 1918, when he was chosen for a cadetship at Cadet College in Quetta, India.


After World War I, Griffin's military career continued to thrive. In 1919, he served in the Third Afghan War with the 10th Gurkha Rifles after receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant. His leadership abilities and adaptability were further demonstrated by his multiple postings, which included training as a reconnaissance pilot for the Royal Air Force in Karachi and serving with the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry. In 1925, he was promoted to Captain and stationed in Sindh Province, Karachi, where he married Myra Julie Rieu. During World War II, Griffin commanded units in significant operations such as Operation Battleaxe and the war in Italy. His leadership roles culminated in his promotion to Brigadier in 1946, commanding the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry Regimental Centre in Belgaum, India. Griffin's military career spanned several decades, reflecting his commitment to service.


Victor Carlton Griffin's life served as an example of the strength of kindness and the strength of the human spirit. From his early years in Australia to his long military career spanning two world wars, Griffin's path was notable by his bravery, determination, and commitment to duty. His legacy as a respected military leader and a man of valor remains an inspiring story of a life lived in service to others. Victor Carlton Griffin passed away on August 12, 1973, at the age of 75, leaving behind a tradition of courage and dedication that continues to inspire future generations.

Endnotes:

Virtual War Memorial Australia. "Victor Carlton Griffin Profile.”
AIF Project. "Victor Carlton Griffin."
National Archives of Australia. "Service Records: Victor Carlton Griffin."
Australian War Memorial. "Victor Carlton Griffin Collection."
Department of Defence, Australia. "1914-1915 Star."
Australian War Memorial. "Australian War Memorial Collection."
Australian Army. "Royal Australian Corps of Signals."

Bibliography:

Victor Carlton Griffin. Virtual War Memorial Australia. “https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/55093”
Victor Carlton Griffin. AIF Project. “https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=119835.”
Service Records. National Archives of Australia. “https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=4711808&isAv=N.”
Victor Carlton Griffin Collection. Australian War Memorial. “https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1261520.”
Victor Carlton Griffin Google Document. “Google Document.”
1914-1915 Star. Department of Defence, Australia. “1914-1915 Star | ADF Members & Families | Defense.”
Australian War Memorial Collection. “3rd Australian Infantry Battalion.”
Royal Australian Corps of Signals. Australian Army. “Royal Australian Corps of Signals.”

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