Frederick Arnold Griffiths

Frederick Arnold Griffiths

Personal Information
Date of Birth	7 Jan 1917
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	12 Sep 1987, aged 70
Place of Death	Joondanna, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 3 months
Description	5'8" (1.713m) tall ; ; fair complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair ; appendix scar
Occupation	Gas engine driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Ora Banda, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr James Kenneally Griffiths
Military Information
Reg Number	WX13310
Date of Enlistment	21 May 1941
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	2nd/2nd Independent Company
Date of Embarkation	8 Dec 41 ‒ 12 Dec 41
Ship Embarked On	SS Zealandia Darwin to Koepang
Date of Embarkation	16 Jun 1943 ‒ 20 Jun 1943
Ship Embarked On	HMT Duntroon Townsville to Port Moresby
Date of Return	15 Jan 1943 ‒ 18 Jan 1943
Ship Returned On	HNLMS Tjerk Hides East Timor to Darwin
Date of Return	3 Sep 1944 ‒ 8 Sep 1944
Ship Returned On	HMT Taroona Lae to Townsville
Fate	Returned to Australia Needs third setoff ships
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australia Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Enlisted at Claremont and was two days later sent to the 3rd Training Battalion at the Northam camp. There, on 6 Jun 1941, he was allocated to the second reinforcements for the 2/28th Battalion. On 29 Jun 1941 this changed when he was transferred to the 7th Infantry Training Centre and was then sent to the 3rd Military District (Victoria). On arrival he was allocated to the 2/2nd Independent Company and on 16 Sep 1941 they moved to South Australia and entrained for Darwin where they arrived on 26 Oct 1941.

On 8 Dec 1941 the unit embarked for Timor aboard the SS Zealandia in company with the SS Westralia, arriving there on 12 Dec 1941, disembarking at Koepang. Following the Japanese invasion of Timor the unit was cut off, and trapped on the island, and thus on 22 Feb 1942 Fred was listed as "Missing". On 12 Jun 1942 this was changed to "With unit & well". Eventually, after months of guerilla fighting aided by the local Timorese, the unit was evacuated on 15 Jan 1943 aboard the Dutch destroyer HNLMS Tjerk Hides arriving in Darwin on 18 Jan 1943. Soon after the unit was moved to north Queensland where on 4 Jun 1943 Fred was appointed Lance Corporal.

On 16 Jun 1943 the unit boarded the HMT Duntroon in Townsville for Port Moresby where they disembarked on 20 Jun 1943. On 1 Jul 1943 Fred was advised that he now qualified for Proficiency Pay. Following a period of patrolling and jungle fighting with Japanese in the Lae area, on 3 Sep 1944 he embarked on the HMT Taroona in Lae for Townsville, arriving there on 8 Sep 1944.

On 9 Apr 1945 Fred was embarked on the HMT Taroona for Jacquimot Bay on the island of New Britain. There from 5 Jul until 9 Jul 1945 he participated in a flame thrower course run by the 2/28th Battalion. On 18 Sep 1945 Fred was promoted Acting Corporal and on 26 Dec 1945 his time with the 2/2 Commando Squadron as the Independent Company had become, came to an end with a transfer to the 22nd Battalion (South Gippsland Regiment), a militia unit which had fought the Japanese on the Huon Peninsula and on New Britain. On 11 Jan 1946 at Rabaul Fred embarked on the SS Vito, disembarking in Brisbane on 16 Jan 1946. On 29 Jan 1946 he was back in Perth preparing for discharge on 5 Mar 1946.

Post War

In 1950 Fred married Beryl Davidson Harrison. Beryl died on 8 Jul 1991 aged 73 in Joondanna.

Electoral Roll entries:1949 at 9 Burke street, North Perth, labourer; 1958 at Kooline Lead Mines, Onslow, miner; 1958 - 1980 at 166 London street, Joondanna, miner.

Notes

For a more complete story see "A History of the 2nd Independent Company and 2/2 Commando Squadron" compiled by C.D. Doig, 2nd Edition Hesperian Press 2009.