Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Harry David Griffiths

Ancestor's date of birth: 10/04/1869

Ancestor's date of death: 26/05/1919

Cause of Death: (1) general paralysis of the insane; (2) exhaustion). Aged 55.

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Harry was born in Wales. He played for Essendon Football Club as a teenager, married in 1887 and my (Wendy Moline's) grandmother, Doris Griffiths was born in 1888 in the homestead he built at Laceby near Wangaratta in Victoria. Worked as a stud groom and family legend says that he bred a full brother to a Melbourne Cup winner. The homestead, Laceby Park is still standing. He became a widower in 1894.

Service Number: 713

Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Melbourne.

Unit: Cameron's Scouts

Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 1900

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): TPR, Date Effective: 10/09/1915

Murray Page: 251

Contingent: Third Victorian

Ship: Euryalus, Date of Sailing: 10/03/1900

Memorial details: Soldier's grave, Melbourne

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Rhodesia and Transvaal clasps. 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Personal Characteristics: Height 170 cm, weight 76 kg.

Reasons to go and fight: Wished to do the right thing by his countrymen (went twice to fight for us overseas).

Details of service in war: April to December 1900 in Rhodesia and west Transvaal as Caringtons' escort.

Service and life after the Boer War: Tried to enlist with his nephew for WWI service in 1914 but was rejected because of bad teeth. Was accpted in late 1915, joining 1^st Australian Remount Unit and went to Egypt from where he was invalided home in late 1916. Admitted to 3^rd Australian General Hospital, Abbassia, 12 March 1916 (gout and lumbago); transferred to 3^rd Auxiliary Hospital, Heliopolis, 27 March 1916 (rheumatism and bad teeth). Commenced return to Australia from Suez on board HT 'Itonus', 10 June 1916; discharged (medically unfit: rheumatism and bad teeth), Melbourne, 16 August 1916. Died at No 16 Australian General Hospital, Melbourne, 26 May 1919.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Wendy Conners Moline, Millmerran QLD
Relationship to Ancestor: great grand daughter

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