In Memory of William and David Griffiths
William Griffiths and his son David died within a month of each other during the Second World War, writes Adrian Hughes.
William (pictured left) was born in 1883 to Richard and Elizabeth Griffiths of Hyfrydle, Upper Gate Street, Conwy. He was educated in Conwy and during the First World War served for three years on the Macedonian Front as the Allies fought Bulgarian, German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish forces. Later he served with the Army Service Corps in Russia.
After the war, he worked as a labourer at Bryn Morfa Farm and Bryn Hyfryd Farm, on Sychnant Pass Road. He later worked for Conway Borough Council. He and his wife Elizabeth lived at 11 Penmaen Road along with their six children, four daughters and two sons.
In August 1939, William joined the Territorial Army and because of his age was posted to the 11th battalion of the Roya
l Welch Fusiliers – a Home Defence unit. Primarily they helped guard Britain’s coastline but could be called on for many other tasks. On June 21 1940, William and some of his comrades were tasked with transporting a lorryload of straw. While they rode on top of the straw to their destination, the straw slipped and William was flung onto the road. He fractured his skull and died a few hours after reaching hospital in Porthmadog. He is buried at St Agnes Cemetery, Conwy.
William’s youngest son, David, was born in Conwy in 1913. He attended Conway Central School before becoming a clerk at a local firm, Higginbottom’s Engineers. In 1936, he joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers. In the same year, he was one of the soldiers chosen to attend the funeral of King George V. He excelled in the army. As well as gaining rapid promotion, he was an all-round sportsman – running, boxing and playing rugby for his battalion. David (pictured right) and his wife Mary lived in Wrexham and had two sons.
David’s battalion went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force in September 1939. In May 1940, he was involved in a rear-guard action as German forces swept through the Low Countries and into France. Out of the 1,000 RWF men who went to France in September 1939, only 268 returned. Serjeant David Griffiths was killed on 29 May 1940, aged 27. He is buried at Calonne-sur-la-Lys Communal Cemetery in France.
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