Griffiths, James Richard
4212 Private James Richard Griffiths - 11th Battalion AIF
James Richard Griffiths was born in Fremantle WA on the 28th November 1893 to George and Mary Griffiths. He had three siblings, George 1889, Charles 1895 and Fredrick 1898. Sadly his brother Charles died in 1896.
The family lived in Fremantle and James was initially educated here before the family moved to Collie in the 1900's. After leaving school he took up work in the Timer industry around Noggerup in South West WA.
On the 15th September 1915 James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 145lbs;
Chest Measurement - 34-36 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Fair.
After his successful enlistment, James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the Depot Training unit. He spent several weeks here being taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 9th November 1915 he was transferred into the 13th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for two more months. George and his brother James were in the same reinforcement group. George had the regimental number 4211 and James had 4212.
Their embarkation orders finally came through and on the 17th January 1916, James and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Borda and set sail for Egypt. After arriving at Suez on the 9th February 1916, the men were disembarked and sent to the 3rd Training Battalion.
On the 29th March 1916 George left Egypt with other 1st Division reinforcements aboard the transport ship Transylvania. They headed to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 4th April 1916. James was then entrained north for Etaples where he was sent to the 1st Australian Division Base Depot.
On the 24th April 1916 James reported ill and was sent to the 26th General Hospital at Etaples where he was diagnosed with venereal disease. After a day he was then transferred to the 9th Stationary Hospital at Le Havre. James remained here till the 29th June 1916 when he was transferred to the 18th General Hospital at Camiers. He was here for another five weeks and then on the 5th August 1916 was transferred to England.
On arrival in England he was sent to a Convalescent Hospital where he was until the 16th September 1916. He was then given a two week furlough, after which time he reported into No.1 Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs. James was here till the 20th November 1916 when he was transferred to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Wareham.
On the 26th December 1916 at Cardiff James married Beatrice Margaret Jones
James remained at Wareham Camp till the 14th March 1917 when he was transferred to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott. On the 5th April 1917 he was then transferred to the newly forming 70th Battalion at Wareham. The 70th Battalion was part of the newly created 6th Division. This new Division trained in England till September 1917 when it was disbanded due to lack of reinforcements coming from Australia. However James did not remain with this unit long.
On the 7th April 1917 James went absent without leave till the 17th April 1917. As a punishment he was given 14 days of Field Punishment No.2 and had to forfeit 24 days pay.
On the 9th June 1917 James was returned to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs.
On the 27th June 1917 he was admitted to Perham Downs Hospital with Lumbago. He spent a few weeks here and was then admitted to the 4th Northern General Hospital with rheumatism.
On the 10th August 1917 James was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth to await a return to Australia as he had been marked as medically unfit for service.
On the 27th September 1917 James boarded a transport ship and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle in November 1917.
James was discharged from the AIF on the 3rd December 1917.
After initially staying in Fremantle, and his wife joining him in Western Australia, they lived at Beatty Avenue Carlisle and James was finding employment as a timber worker.
A daughter Joyce was born in 1928.
His father died in Fremantle 1933 and James continued residing north of the River in East Perth before moving to Thelma Street South Perth in the early 1940's.
His mother died in Fremantle in 1946.
James continued living in South Perth till the 1960's. He died on the 10th February 1963 in Como aged 68. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.