George Michael Griffin (1914 - 1942)

Born 3 Aug 1914 in Dunkeld, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 27 in At Sea

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Karen Bailey [send private message]

Biography

George Griffin was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

George Griffin died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

George Michael Griffin was born in 1914 at Dunkeld, VIC, the son of Walter Griffin and Eva Sparrow.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service on 06 Jul 1940 at Caulfield, VIC (having completed his attestation forms at Hamilton, VIC on 22 Jun 1940). He enlisted as a Private (VX45089). At the time he was single, a farm labourer and living at Heywood, VIC^[1] with his mother Eva Beavis. He had fair hair and blue eyes.

He was posted to 2/22nd Bn on 27 Aug 1940.

He embarked on HMAT "Katoomba" on 12 Mar 1941 in Sydney for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 28 Mar 1941.

He was promoted Lance Cpl on 22 May 1941.

He was admitted to hospital with rheumatic fever on 05 Jan 1942.

When the Japanese invaded New Britain on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured at Kokopo Hospital and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records have him with B Coy, 2/22nd Bn. He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

1. ↑ HEYWOOD (1941, March 10). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 2 (EVENING). Retrieved January 7, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64399421

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 21382 / 1914; Family name: GRIFFIN; Given name(s): Geo Michl; Place of event: DUNKELD V, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Eva Emma; Mother's family name at birth: SPARROW; Father's Name: Walt Gordon

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - GRIFFIN GEORGE MICHAEL : Service Number - VX45089 : Date of birth - 03 Aug 1914 : Place of birth - DUNCELD VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - BEAVIS EVA - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6118977

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1706151

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615717/george-michael-griffin/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/630345