Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Great War ‘Escaut Canal’ D.C.M. awarded to Acting Petty Officer Edward Griffiths, Tyneside R.N.V.R., Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (Tyne.Z. 3637 P.O. E. Griffiths, Hood Bn. R.N.V.R.) very fine £1200-1500

D.C.M. London Gazette 18 February 1919, citation 10 January 1920:

‘On 30th September and Ist October, 1918, at Escaut Canal this petty officer in charge of a platoon pushed on and seized a most important trench opposite Proville. This he held with the utmost gallantry, and for twenty-four hours no rations could be got to them or any communications. By his fine example and cool courage he inspired his men to hold on; and beating off a determined enemy raid in the early hours of the second day, held the position until relieved.’

Edward Griffiths was bom on 30 March 1896, and was working as a miner for Harton Coal Company, South Shields, when he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. On 22 January 1915, he joined the Tyneside Division of the R.N.V.R. for three years, and on 2 February, he formally joined the Royal Naval Division.

He was first attached to the 4th Battalion, and then to the 2nd Reserve Battalion at Blandford. After training he was drafted in July 1916 to the Hood Battalion to fight in Gallipoli. When the peninsula was evacuated, he embarked in the Ionian at Mudros on 16 May, disembarking at Marseilles on the 22nd.

He was briefly detached for instruction at Permes, and then back with his battalion with the B.E.F. in France. In November he was appointed as Acting Leading Seaman, stepping almost literally into "dead men’s shoes"' vice one Leading Seaman Cruickshanks who had been killed in action, and soon confirmed in this rank, and in April 1917 as Acting Petty Officer. His conduct, both behind the lines and in action was apparently exemplary and in November 1917 he transferred to the 3rd Reserve Battalion, as a candidate for a comniission. He then appears to have spent time at Kinghorn, Gailes, and with the 53rd Battalion, Training Reserve, Highland Light Infantry, at Kircaldy, before finally returning to the R.N.D. in May 1918 as "unsuitable for commission".

In September 1918 he was drafted back to the Hood Battalion in France, was soon in the front lines, and almost immediately in action in the fighting around the Escaut Canal. The citation above testifies to his superb conduct in action, in command of a platoon, and perhaps his Officer Candidate training had paid dividends. Sold with full service record which confirms entitlement to 1914-15 trio.