An other good new, via our friend Lambis, in contact with the family, 2nd Lt. Reginal Theodore Griffen 32nd Battalion is identified. A clerk from Riverton, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he was commissioned prior to embarkation with the 5th Reinforcements from Adelaide aboard HMAT Shropshire on 25 March 1916 for Egypt. His battalion relocated to the Western Front, France, in June 1916. 2nd Lt Griffen was reported as missing in action on 20 July 1916 during the Battle of Fromelles and was subsequently confirmed to be killed in action on that date. He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, France. He was aged 24 years. His brother, Private Oswald Clement Griffen, 50th Battalion, was killed in action at Noreuil on 2 April 1917. LEST WE FORGET. Date of birth 8 April 1892 Place of birth Riverton, South Australia School Riverton Public School, South Australia Religion Baptist Occupation Clerk Address Riverton, South Australia Marital status Single Age at embarkation 23 Height 5 10.5 Weight 165 lbs Next of kin Mother, Mrs Elizabeth Griffen, Riverton, South Australia Previous military service Nil Enlistment date 25 June 1915 Place of enlistment Keswick, South Australia Rank on enlistment 2nd Lieutenant Unit name 32nd Battalion, 5th Reinforcement AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/49/2 Embarkation details Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on 25 March 1916 Rank from Nominal Roll 2nd Lieutenant Unit from Nominal Roll 32nd Battalion Fate Killed in Action 20 July 1916 Age at death from cemetery records 24 Place of burial No known grave Commemoration details V.C. Corner (Panel No 4), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial 120 Miscellaneous information from cemetery records Commemorated in Riverton General Cemetery, South Australia. Parents: John Payne and Elizabeth GRIFFEN, Riverton, South Australia Family/military connections Brother: 2863 Pte Oswald Clement GRIFFEN, 50th Bn, killed in action, 2 April 1917. Other details War service: Egypt, Western Front Taken on strength of 32 Bn as supernumerary to establishment, Ferry Post, 24 May 1916; absorbed into strength, Moascar, 31 May 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Wounded in action, 19 July 1916; posted missing, 20 July 1916; struck off strength, 20 October 1916. Court of Inquiry, held in the field, 12 August 1916, pronounced fate as killed in action, 20 July 1916. Statement on Red Cross File No 1220401 from 216 Pte F.G. WRIGHT, 32nd Bn, 4 August 1916: I was in the advance at Fleurbaix on 19th July and next morning in our billet Sergt. Harrington told me that Lieut. Griffen had been killed, shot through the head as he was coming back early in the morning of the 20th. Statement from 3061 Pte R.R. CLARK, 32nd Bn, 1 August 1916: I saw Lieut. Griffin (sic) in the German trenches, we had taken, and I brought a message back from him to the Adjutant. Pte Wright (now in Edmonton Hospital) told me he saw Griffen shot through the head and killed. Statement from 2002 Pte S.K. COOKS, 32nd Bn, 13 October 1916: He belonged to A. Co. and was killed at Fleurbaix on 19.7.16. Sgt. A. Errington, A. Co. was with him when he was shot through the head and killed outright. This occurred during the change on the night of the 19th. Statement from 2598 M.R. DOBIE, 31 October 1916: Informant states that on July 19th, 1916 at Armentieres, Lt. Griffen was shot through the head and fell between our lines and the Germans which were about 800 yards apart. It was about 6 oclock in the evening, andwe never reached our objective. Informant heard that the Germans fetched no man in that day, and it was given out that Lieut. Griffen was killed. It was to the right of Armentieres. Statement from 2644 Pte H.T. JUDD (patient, 35th General Hospital, Calais), 2 November 1916: I was his batman right through from Australia. I saw him just behind the first German trench lying with several bullet wounds in his forehead. I shook him but he did not speak. There was a rumor that he might be a prisoner, bit I do not think it possible. It was between the Convent and Armentieres. You see we were shown the Aeroplane photograph and told which trench was our objective, but when we got to it we found that it was a blind trench and full of water, so we went past it and were digging ourselves in when he was killed. Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal Miscellaneous details Name entered incorrectly on Embarkation Roll as GRIFFIN
Posted on: Sun, 18 May 2014 11:01:20 +0000
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