Sapper Frank Griffin

SAPPER FRANK GRIFFIN

1283 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

Mary Kinna married Lott Griffin in 1869 Victoria. Both were natives of County Clare, Ireland. A daughter, Mary Jane, was born in 1870, followed by Mary Ann in 1871, Bridget in 1874, Thomas in 1875, John James in 1877, Francis Martin in 1879, Mathew Joseph in 1881, William Patrick in 1884 and Edmond Daniel in 1886. All births were registered at Kyneton, Victoria

In 1903 John and Mary, with their children Francis Martin, James, Joseph and Thomas, are farming at Tylden, Victoria.

The 1909 Census for the Werribee district records the family living at Wattle Park, Werribee. Daughters Mary and Bridget are supporting their mother with the home duties while father John and the boys Edward (Edmond), Frank, James, John, Joseph, Thomas and William are engaged in farming.

The patriarch, John Griffin died at Werribee in 1911 aged 80.

Still at Wattle Park, Werribee in 1914 are Mary and her daughter Bridget, as well as Edward, James and William continuing to farm while Thomas is now a labourer.

Frank Griffin stated he was 31 years and 11 months of age when he signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ on August 1915 at Goulburn, New South Wales.

He recorded that he was born in Dublin, Ireland and was a Labourer by trade. He named his mother, Mary Griffin of Werribee, Victoria as his Next-of-Kin. An amendment to the Attestation records his brother William Griffin of Rosa Street, Coburg, Victoria as his Next-of-Kin.

A medical examination at Goulburn found Frank ‘fit for active service’ and recorded that he was 5ft 8 ins tall and weighed 150 lbs. He had a dark complexion, blue eyes and black hair. Distinguishing marks were recorded as ‘scar top lip to right nostril - left chin’

Frank trained at the Holdsworthy Depot from 28 August until 16 October 1915 when he was transferred to the 13th Reinforcements to the 13th Infantry Battalion. He was transferred to “E” Company, 1st Infantry Battalion on 7 November, and then to “C” Company of the same Battalion on 1 December.

On 15 February 1916 at Casula, New South Wales, Frank was appointed to the Reinforcements to the Mining Corps and assigned to No.3 Company. He embarked at Sydney for the European theatre on board Ulysses on 20 February 1916.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

Following the farewell parade in the Domain, Sydney, the Australian Mining Corps embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on 20 February 1916 on board HMAT A38 Ulysses.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Ulysses arrived in Melbourne, Victoria on 22 February and the Miners were camped at Broadmeadows while additional stores and equipment were loaded onto Ulysses. Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Departing Melbourne on 1 March, Ulysses sailed to Fremantle, Western Australia where a further 53 members of the Corps were embarked. The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted. After a delay of about a month for repairs, The Mining Corps sailed for the European Theatre on 1 April 1916.

The ship arrived at Suez, Egypt on 22 April, departing for Port Said the next day; then on to Alexandria. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The Mining Corps was transhipped to B1 Ansonia for the final legs to Marseilles, France via Valetta, Malta. Arriving at Marseilles on 5 May, most of the men entrained for Hazebrouck where they arrived to set up their first camp on 8 May 1916.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

On 3 May 1916, while still at sea on Troopship “B.1”, Frank was charged with stealing beer and was awarded 21 days Field Punishment No.1 by the O.C. of the Mining Corps.

He was transferred to the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company (3ATC) on 18 December 1916 as a member of No.4 Section. On 25 January 1917, Frank was retrained as a Protoman (Mine rescue).

On 16 March 1917 Frank was charged with being drunk on 13 March and was fined 5 shillings by the O.C. of 3ATC.

Frank made his Will on 1 June 1917:

“In the event of my death I give the whole of my property to my nephew Francis Griffin son of Edward Griffin Werribee Victoria”

Frank Griffin was recorded as ‘Missing – believed killed’ on 28 June 1917.

Statements concerning the incident were made by his comrades:

‘About 7 p.m. 28.6.17 my company made a raid on enemy trenches at loos. The last time I saw No.1283 Spr Griffin f. alive was about 7.30 p.m. in enemy lines on 28.6.17.’

1311 Spr White W. 3rd Tunn Co.

‘No.1283 Sapper griffin was in the same Company with me. Sapper Griffin and myself formed part of a demolition party which went over with a raid at Loos about the end of June 1917. When we were in the enemy front line trench about 8 p.m., I saw Sapper Griffin shot in the forehead. I have no doubt he was killed on the spot. I had then to fix up some demolition charges and did not see Sapper Griffin again.’

4449 Spr Powell W. 3rd Tunn Co.

‘During a raid on Loos on 28 June Spr griffin was killed alongside me shot through the head, while in the German lines. I am unable to say if his body was brought back, as I was assisting to carry back Major Coulter and was also wounded myself.’

1051 Cpl Jackson E.E. 3rd Tunn Co.

2nd. Lieutenant Frank Bernard Wearne, 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the same raid. At the point when the German attack was at its most dangerous, Wearne performed an act of the utmost daring and bravery. He leapt onto the parapet of the trench, exposing himself to a hail of machine-gun and rifle fire, and then ran along the top of the trench firing his revolver and throwing bombs down at the enemy below.

Statements made to the Red Cross regarding Franks’ fate include:

“Dear Vera,

Just a few lines in answer to your short note reference Sapper F. Griffin.

Well Dear friend I was one of his mates on that day, 28/6/17. we where on a raid on the germans trenches and it was Griffins bad luck to killed he was right close to me he was killed outright and I am now minus of one of the best pals in the world. He was a man about 40 years of age dark and about 5ft.9ins in hight and had a mark on his top lip any of his own people would know him by that mark he was killed the same time as our Major Coulter L.J. I suppose you know about him he was bough back from the germans lines but Griffin was too far away from our lines and that unabled us to get him back we where under heavy shell fire and machine guns and the mate that was left with me he got his arm nearly shot off and then I have enough to manage with him and when we went back to get Griffin the germans made a counter attack and it was impossible to reach him they had shifted him theres no doubt about the death of 1283 spr F Griffin it is right about him being killed worst luck its two true:

I am trying to get a foto of him and will send it to you if can get one.

well I think that’s all this time

yours truly

No.1191 Jack Taylor

4 Sec. 3rd Australian Tunnelling Coy.

France

Was with Griffin when he was killed”

“re 1283 Sapper F. Griffin who was posted as missing on 28.6.17/ There is no doubt that this man was killed on the above date along-side our O.C. Major L.J. Coulter. Major Coulter’s body was recovered but when the party went back for Griffin’s body, it had disappeared. He was acting at the time as orderly for Major Coulter. Griffin was a strongly built man about 5’10”” high, dark, clean shaven with a split or cut upper lip.”

Informant: Capt R. Langdon, 3rd Aust. Tunn.Coy., France, 5.9.17

1283 Sapper Frank Griffin has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 26 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial and on Panel 7 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes: Griffin, Frank: Son of John and Mary Griffin, of Riddell's Creek, Victoria. Native of Tylden, Victoria.

The Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour records: Francis Martin Griffin, 1283 Sapper, 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company.

In August 1917, Franks’ brother William wrote to Base Records saying that a sister of Frank had received a letter from him dated 17 April 1917, and that he had received a cablegram from Frank from London date 9 June. The Red Cross had advised him that Frank was in London at the time the cable was sent and was reported missing on 28 June. William asked the further inquiries about Franks’ fate.

Base Records replied that at that time they had no information on Frank and asked if the letter sent to his sister could be forwarded to them.

On 26 September William provided the letter which had been received on 22 June 1917:

William also forwarded to Base Records results of Red Cross Information Bureau inquiries and advised that he was making his inquiries on behalf of his mother who was Franks’ Next-of-Kin.

Base records replied on 8 October advising that they would make inquiries through A.I.F. Headquarters, London and would notify all concerned when a reply was received.

On the same day the above article was published, Base Records wrote to William advising that Frank had been reported missing since 28 June and that advice had been sent to his Next-of-Kin and that additional information would be forwarded as it came to hand.

On 26 February 1918 Base Records forwarded to the District Pay Master a letter from Mary Griffin asking the amount of deferred pay owing to Frank and what form of application was necessary for her to claim the money.

The personal effects of Frank Griffin consisting of a Disc, Diary, Letters, “Mine Rescue” Certificate were returned to Australian in April 1918 vide Barambah and forwarded to his brother William Griffin at Ross Street, Coburg.

On 18 April, William wrote to Base Records on behalf of his mother asking why Franks’ personal effects had been forwarded to Williams’ younger brother E. Griffin of Werribee, who intended to keep them, instead of Franks’ Next-of-Kin.

Base records replied that the sole legatee under Franks’ Will was his nephew Francis Griffin and the effects were therefore not forwarded to the Next-of-Kin, shown as his Mother.

The pamphlet “Where The Australians Rest” was sent to Mary Griffin on 6 March 1922.

The Memorial Scroll and King’s Message were received by Mary Griffin on 28 March 1922, the Memorial Plaque on 16 October the same year.

Franks’ British War Medal was with the Commandant of the 3rd Military District on 13 January 1922, and his Victory Medal was forwarded to his mother on 19 February 1923.