Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

21 March - 4 July 1918. The Battles of the Somme in 1918 were mostly concerned with stemming the German advance which started in March 1918 and which made considerable gains in the Somme/Arras sector. Utilising surplus troops which had become available following the surrender of Russia after the October Revolution, the Germans gambled on a massive campaign that could win the war in the west before the USA could bring its resources to bear. Initial gains were in places spectacular but eventually dogged resistance coupled with supply problems and sheer exhaustion closed down the battle. Other attacks were launched along the front to probe the Allied defences but the same pattern of initial gains followed by stalemate prevailed. British casualties were almost 345,000.

Detail :

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Henry Griffiths was unusual in that he was born in Britain but killed in Action 27 April 1918 at Villers Tournelle, France as a US soldier. He was originally buried at Tournelle British Military Cemetery, but was removed to Arlington National Cemetery near Washington USA. Richard Griffith was born in Derbyshire England and taken to America as a young child. He enlisted in the Tennessee National Guard in 1898 and became a First Sergeant in the 37th U.S. Volunteer Infantry, serving in the Philippines during the Spanish American War. He was present at the Battles of San Juan de Monte, Water Works Luzon, Iloilo, Paney and other skirmishes. He was present at the Battle of Jarro River, 16 March 1899, and received an Honorable Mention (Dispatches), and was at Columba, Santo Tomas, Aluminos, San Diego, etc in July 1899. He was with General Schwann's Expedition to Southern Luzon in 1900 and also in General Hill's Expedition to Polillo and Infanta. He was recommended for the certificate of Merit for Gallantry displayed in action, 28 February 1900. He passed examination for commission on 21 November 1900 but did not take up the appointment and left the service. He re-enlisted as a Private First Class in the U.S. Engineers in 1901 and left as a Corporal in October 1901. He was commissioned Lieutenant in the Philippine Constabulary in October 1901. He was a Major in 1911 when he left the Constabulary. In 1914 he travelled to Hong Kong and was he was commissioned into the British Army as a Temporary Captain on 19 December 1914. He became a Temporary Captain, 14th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters, 17 March 1915. He was Major, and Commanding Officer, 1/5th Royal Scots, 21st May 1915 to 17th April 1916 at Gallipoli, Mudros, Suez Canal, Marseilles and Arqueves.

We believe that whilst in Suez he joined Ataka Lodge which was based in Suez. He reverted to Captain, The Sherwood Foresters, in April 1916. He joined 2nd Battalion 7 June 1916 in the Dugouts on the Canal Bank at Ypres as a Captain. He was wounded on the 16th June by shrapnel from a 'wizzbang' which broke his shoulder. He became a Major and 2i/c 9th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment on 23 April 1917. He resigned his Commission in the British Army on the 27 November 1917, and was awarded the Honorary rank of Major. Two hours later he was appointed a Major in the U.S. Army, 18th U.S. Infantry, 1st Infantry Division and advanced to Lieutenant Colonel, 3rd Battalion, 18th U.S. Infantry, April 1918. He was killed in Action, 27 April 1918 at Villers-Tournelle, and was buried in the Military Cemetery there. In 1919 Mrs. Griffiths had his body exhumed and returned to America where it was reburied in the Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C., alongside two other British Officers. Colonel Griffiths was laid to rest in Section 3, Grave 4107, Arlington National Cemetery. Cemetery records indicate his date of death was 28 April 1918 His medals included the Philippine Campaign Medal, Spanish War Service Medal, Philippine Congressional Medal, Allied Victory Medal, (U.S. Version and issued by them at request of British Government) one clasp Defense Sector, British War Medal, 1914-15 Star. Major Griffiths Medals were sold in 1991 at Auction in New York and were purchased by an English Collector.

Masonic :

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley