Henry Norman Griffin

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Tue, 14/06/2016 - 11:35

First Name:

Henry

Middle Name:

Norman

Last Name:

Griffin

Date of Birth:

Tuesday, April 11, 1893

Mother's Name:

Emma Flynn

Father's Name:

William Griffin

Date Enlisted:

Tuesday, July 25, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

2nd Lieutenant

Rank at Discharge:

Lieutenant

Unit:

45th Bttalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Friday, May 15, 1964

Place of Death:

St Leonards, N.S.W.

Details:

Henry Griffin was born in Brisbane, Qld, and attended Broken Hill Public School in N.S.W.

At enlistment Henry was single, 23 years of age, lived in Helensburgh, N.S.W. with his mother, Mrs Emma Flynn, and was employed as a private secretary. Henry had served 3 years with 37th infantry Militia.

He embarked from Sydney on SS Port Nicholson with 7th Reinforcements, 45th Battalion, on 8th November 1916 as 2nd Lieutenant. The troops arrived in England on 10th January 1917 and Henry joined 45th Battalion in France on 13th May 1917.

On 21st May 1917 he was promoted to Lieutenant.

On 7th June 1917, while fighting at the battle of Messines, Henry was wounded and evacuated to England for treatment of a severe gun shot wound to his neck. He returned to his unit on 7th September 1917.

Henry was wounded a second time on 13th October 1917 at Passchendaele, sustaining a gun shot wound to his left hand when he was buried by a shell explosion, and again was evacuated to England for treatment.

Henry was returned to Australia in January 1918, and just before leaving England, he was presented with the 7th Reinforcement, 45th Battalion banner.

He was discharged medically unfit suffering from shell shock on 28th April 1918.

During World War II, on 28th February 1940, Henry enlisted (Service No N60223) and served as a Captain with Headquarters Eastern Command until 11th December 1943.

Henry died in 1964 and is buried in Northern Suburbs Cemetery, Sydney.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, GRIFFIN H N