The Annals of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps

[stiletto_33853]

Offers of look ups in this book are being withdrawn due to recent events in this forum.

Andy

[MBrockway]

QUOTE (Chris_B @ Oct 19 2005, 04:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Andy,

I wonder if you can find any mention of this officer who died of wounds on 15/9/1916, perhaps wounded at Delville Wood. His details are:

George Richards Griffiths

=================

GRIFFITHS

Initials: G R

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: King's Royal Rifle Corps

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 38

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Additional information: Son of David Richards Griffiths, of Holborn, London; husband of Florence Elizabeth Griffiths, of 24, Brisbane Avenue, Merton Park, London.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: III. A. 10.

Cemetery: COUIN BRITISH CEMETERY

Many thanks,

Chris.

Chris,

This is a very cold Topic I know, but I have found 2/Lt G.R. Griffiths in the 1916 KRRC Chronicle 1st Battalion War Record in the List of Officers "who have served in the 1st Battalion from May 1915 to October 1916."

He is recorded as ...

12 Sep 1916 - joined battalion

14 Sep 1916 - left battalion, due to Wounds

15 Sep 1916 - Died of Wounds

It looks like he was a replacement who had the misfortune to be fatally wounded on his third day.

This is perhaps why he has no obituary in the KRRC Chronicle. Generally the officers did get a paragraph or two.

The main section of the 1/KRRC War Record states for September 1916: "During this month the usual trench warfare routine was carried out with intervals of rest in billets and camp."

I post this in the hopes that it's still of interest to you.

Cheers,

Mark

[MBrockway]

Pals,

More on 2Lt George GRIFFITHS.

Here are some images of his MIC:

It's definitely him - he has the same Date of Death and the Widow's address is the same as that of his wife given on CWGC.

Before being commissioned into the KRRC, he was a Lance Serjeant in the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps (OTC).

This might mean he was in the legal profession, but much more likely he was merely one of the 12,000 or so mature men who were trained up as officers by the Inns of Court OTC out at Berkhamstead.

As a bonus his Date of Entry into a theatre of war is given as 1916. This supports the KRRC Chronicle date of joining the 1st Btn.

At 38 years old, he presumably has enlisted late. Leaving a widow, he may well have had a family too. It may be possible that he had been an enlisted man Other Ranks, who was identified in the field for officer training, but I'd have thought that would all be on one MIC.

Chris that gives you a bit more to go on - thanks for the PM, I'll keep George on my radar. Checking the census might be a good idea - that's a lot easier nowadays than back in 2005 - LOL!

Cheers,

Mark

[MBrockway]

As a bonus his Date of Entry into a theatre of war is given as 1916. This supports the KRRC Chronicle date of joining the 1st Btn.

Cheers,

Mark

Pals,

The old Mk I Eyeballs playing up again there - the Date of Entry isn't 1916, it's 1.9.16 - i.e. 1st Sep 1916.

That means he arrived in France just less than two weeks before he joined the battalion.

So we now have ...

01 Sep 1916 - embarked in France

12 Sep 1916 - joined battalion

14 Sep 1916 - left battalion, due to Wounds

15 Sep 1916 - Died of Wounds

Cheers,

Mark

[MBrockway]

Chris,

I've made some further headway on 2/Lt George Richards GRIFFITHS.

He was born approx 1877-8 in London, Middlesex.

He married Florence Elizabeth PIDWELL in the Apr-Jun quarter of 1908. The marriage was registered in Croydon District, which includes Merton, Surrey, as listed as his wife's residence on CWGC.

His wife's birth was registered in the Oct-Dec quarter of 1888 also in the Croydon District.

His father was David Richards (sic) GRIFFITHS, a master tailor, born in Cilgerran (aka Kilgerran) near Cardigan in Pembrokeshire in approx 1841. He died on 19 March 1907.

His mother was Emma Mary GRIFFITHS, nee GIBBS born approx 1839 in St Giles, London, which is the area just to the N of Covent Garden. She died on 03 May 1909.

His father David Griffiths was a successful tailor with shops at 25 New Oxford Street, then later at 315 High Holborn (both trading as D.R.Griffiths and Co.) and at a City outlet trading as G.Flaxman and Co, at 1 Sherborne Lane, London EC4 (which is just S of Bank)

George had a number of siblings:

John Titus GRIFFITHS, born approx 1869 in Bloomsbury, London. Occupation: 1891 - clerk; 1901 - clerk, commercial.

Mary Grace GRIFFITHS, born Nov or Dec 1870 in London, Middlesex. Occupation: 1891 - saleswoman. She is absent from Highgate for the 1901 census. I have a possible marriage for her to Henry Edwin JONES in St Giles District (Holborn) in the Jul-Aug-Sep quarter of 1892, then a possible 1901 census entry also Holborn, but the husband's name is given as William Henry JONES, a silk importer. Clearly these inconsistencies need some investigation.

David Percy GRIFFITHS, born approx 1873 in Clerkenwell, London. Occupation: 1891 - tailor; 1901 - tailor.

Emma Hannah GRIFFITHS, born approx 1876 in Clerkenwell, London. Named as Hannah E Griffiths in 1901 census.

Then comes George Richards GRIFFITHS himself, born approx 1878.

Lastly there's Charles Weston GRIFFITHS, born approx 1879 in Finsbury Park, London. Occupation: 1901 - clerk, commercial.

As regards locations, in 1871 the family were living at 38 Great Percy Street, Finsbury, London WC1, together with David's 12 year old niece Mary A GRIFFITHS and Emma's two brothers, Alfred and Frederick GIBBS.

In 1881, they have moved to the business premises at 315 High Holborn, where they remain for 1891.

By 1901, the family has moved to 25 Southwood Avenue, Highgate, London N6, but Mary and George were both absent from Highgate on Census night. As above, Mary had probably married in 1892.

I have not been able to fix George Richards GRIFFITHS in the 1901 census conclusively. There are a lot of leads, but one interesting one is a George R GRIFFITHS, 23 years old, visiting a Henry MERRICK (35 yrs old; chef/cook; born: Staines, Mx) at 12 Stafford Street, Marylebone, NW1, which no longer exists but was in Lisson Grove just to the S of Shroton Street.

This George R GRIFFITHS is described as Trooper, 1st Life Guards, and born in London. Tantalising!

Service with the Household Cavalry might explain why our George Griffiths later enlists for Officer Training with the Inns of Court OTC, but really there's nothing firm to link our George Griffiths to this man, and I have not been able to turn up any pre-war Life Guards Service or Pensions records for any George GRIFFITHS via Ancestry.

Probably not our man I'd guess. However if you want to pursue this, you stand a good chance of getting somewhere, as the Household Cavalry records all survived The Blitz intact.

Anyway, there's quite a bit of background here for you to fill in the blanks on your war memorial My only regret is that this really is an inappropriate Topic to put all this specific detail abut George!

HTH - send me a PM if you want any of the original sources etc.

Cheers,

Mark

[MBrockway]

Pals,

All this detail about an individual soldier wasn't sitting very comfortably in this general Topic about a KRRC book!

I've therefore started a new Topic on the Soldiers forum:

2/Lt George GRIFFITHS, 1/KRRC DoW 15 Sep 1916, Inns of Court OTC & LG help requested :-)

Can I ask the Pals to post new material there instead please? I'm sure Chris_B won't mind

Cheers,

Mark

[John Charles Griffiths]

As an introduction, my name is John Charles Griffiths - George Richards Griffiths was my paternal grandfather.

I know that I'm very late on parade but I do hope that someone out there is still interested. The following was in my late father's bits and bobs....... read on.

The following is typed by my father Kenneth Charles Griffiths b13/8/1913 and died in his 80th year.

 

MY FATHER : GEORGE RICHARDS GRIFFITHS.

The following information is derived from various items in my possession and memory. Dates are as near as I can assess.

My grandfather came to London from Carmarthen in the late 1800's. He resided on Highgate Hill and on can only surmise that he was buried in Highgate Cemetery. Nothing is known of his wife but I believe he had three sons, George, Arthur and Percy. I do not know in what order.

My father was born in September 1878. As to his education I know nothing. In 1899 at the age of 21years, he served in the Boer War in 62 Coy The Imperial Yeomanry, as, amongst other things, a bugler, during the reign of Queen Victoria and early part of Edward V11.

My father was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal, stamped 24430 Bugl. George Richards Griffiths 62nd Coy Imperial Yeomanry.

This carries five clasps; Cape Colony, Orange Free State,Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902.

He married my mother in 1907, then 29 years old, my mother was 19. Four children were born. David ( thereafter always called George because of his outstanding likeness to my father ) 1908, Muriel 1910, Kenneth 1913 and William 1915. At the beginning of the marriage they lived in Carshalton, Surrey.

Between the ages of 24 and 26 and up to the beginning of the 1914 war he was in partnership with his brother Percy in premises in High Holborn London as Civil and Military Tailors. My mother told me that he said if he returned from the war he would give up the business and get a job as a cutter, as so much money was owing by officers who purchased uniforms and equipment and the got posted to India and far flung places and failed to pay their bills. It would seem that it was not unusual in those days to keep the poor old tailor waiting for their money.

Sometime during this period he also seems to have served with the Inns of Court Regiment.

The family then moved to 6, Preshaw Cresent, Mitcham, Surrey where I was born, and then finally to 1, Abbey Terrace, Abbey Road, Merton S.W.19. His name is inscribed on the war memorial on the green in front of the house at 6, Preshaw Cresent, Mitcham.

At the outbreak of war my father was posted to Wellingboro' on an Officers course and then to a hutted camp on Wimbledon Common - I remember as a child being driven in an open Landau accompanied by the then Capt. James from the cottage at Mitcham up to the camp.

Before sailing for France my father must have been posted to Ipswich, for he sent me a postcard showing the round pond In Christchurch Park dated 29th June 1915 and one to Muriel showing a house opposite the White Hart PH in Wickham Market dated 18th July 1915. He also sent me an embroided silk Good Luck card showing a black cat and Union Jack. He also sent me a postcard of a donkey and child from Southampton dated 1st September 1916 from where he presumably embarked, plus a futher one from Le Harve dated 9th September 1916.

On arrival in France my father was sent to a base and a few days after to the front line on the Somme.

My mother was notified of his death on a Sunday morning on or about 23rd September 1916. He was awarded the British War Medal 1914 -1918.

He was 38 years old.''

I ( John ) am in possession of his '' Death Penny''.

 

 

[MBrockway]

Wow!

 

What a grand turn-up. 

 

I’ll copy this material across into the Griffiths topic once I’m back home again, though it’d be good if we took things forward there rather than here.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Jon1906]

I'm considering buying this book, but before I do I'd like to know how useful it will be. How extensive is its coverage of the opening days of the Spring Offensive, March 21st to 24th? Thanks!

Jonathan

[MBrockway]

15 minutes ago, Jon1906 said:

I'm considering buying this book, but before I do I'd like to know how useful it will be. How extensive is its coverage of the opening days of the Spring Offensive, March 21st to 24th? Thanks!

Jonathan

Specifically for 21-24 Mar 1918 inclusive, the content is as follows ...

 

Pages 275-293 - Fifth Army: 14th (Light) Div (7/, 8/ and 9/KRRC)

Pages 299-302 - Fifth Army: 20th (Light) Div (11/ and 12/KRRC)

Pages 310-312 - Fifth Army: 39th Div (17/KRRC)

Pages 316-322 - Third Army: 2nd Div (1/KRRC)

Pages 326-329 - Third Army: 41st Div (18/KRRC)

 

10/KRRC and 21/KRRC were disbanded a few weeks earlier.  25/KRRC was yet to be raised.

 

3/ and 4/KRRC were still in Macedonia.

 

The remaining battalions were not involved until Operation Georgette in April.

 

As you can perhaps tell from the quantity of pages the coverage is good, but obviously limited to the KRRC battalions.  It does contain errors.

 

For these four days alone, I could not recommend buying the book.  Its goal is to give a strong general survey of the regiment in the whole War and it's probably better used for that.

 

I would start with the Official History - Military Operations, France & Flanders - 1918, Volume 1.  This covers the wider picture well, though it too has errors and it is available free of charge online!

 

If it's the real detail and minutiae of Operation Michael you're after, I'd go for the primary sources such as war diaries using the OH narrative to get the context.

 

Mark

 

 

 

[Jon1906]

Thank you Mark. Your help is very much appreciated. I've already read the OH and as many of the unit diaries I can find, such as they are. I'm looking for any gaps I might have missed.

Jonathan

[stiletto_33853]

Jonathan,

Be warned, there are some huge errors for WW1, ask Mark about Couper and what the Annals say about him.

 

Andy