Griffith, John Gordon
Personal Information
Rank | F/L |
Forename(s) | John Gordon |
Surname | Griffith |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 17-10-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Francis G. Griffith and Phyllis E. Griffith |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling III |
Serial Number | EH960 |
Markings | ZO-X |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 119. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 173 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 111157 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 196 |
Trade | Squadron Engineering Officer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Miscellaneous Information
John had been involved in overseeing repairs to EH960 which had returned from a sortie a few days earlier with the pilot complaining of 'shuddering' and had gone along on the test flight afterwards as a passenger. |
Born in Delhi, India on 10 October 1920 to Francis Gordon Griffith, a railway engineer attached to the British military in India, and his wife Phyllis Estelle Griffith (née Watson), baptised a month later in Lahore. According to family members, Francis and Phyllis made the decision to only have the one child so that he could be given the best opportunities in life. His initial schooling took place at Marlborough College in Wiltshire and latterly at Cambridge University. John held a degree in Mechanical Sciences (Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge). |
His parents, and his mother in particular, never got over the loss of their only son and one room in particular was a photographic shrine to John with many silver framed pictures of him. Unfortunately at some point the house was burgled and with no respect for the contents inside, all the silver frames were among the items taken, robbing the family of a wide range of John’s images. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1166/20 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1166/19 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 17-10-1943 |
End Date | 17-10-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Witchford |
Day/Night Raid | Day |
Operation | Air Test |
Reason for Loss | Crashed into the Wash due to excessive vibrations leading to loss of control |