Griffiths Family 2

LOCAL NEWS

Article appeared County Times November 1953.

Mr. and Mrs George Griffiths, 28, Cambrian Drive, Oswestry celebrated their golden wedding on Thursday.  In 1903, November 12th, they were married at the English Baptist Church in Welshpool.  Throughout their 50 years of marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths have always taken the “County Times,” but this is the first time they have had their picture in it. 

They have seven children and seven grandchildren.  The family has a definite military flavour.  Mr. Griffiths served in the Army for 14 years, and fought in World War 1.  Most of their sons and daughters served in World War 11.

They spend their second honeymoon in Yorkshire during this next fortnight.

When asked, “What has made your marriage so successful?”  Mr Griffiths said, “No beer!  That has broken up a lot of marriages.  I have never touched it.”

Article Oswestry Advertizer November 1953.

“People are drinking too many cups of tea today instead of getting on with their work,” says pipe smoking 77 year-old Mr. George Griffiths, of 28 Cambrian Drive, Oswestry.

Last week he and his 71 year-old wife Mary celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with a small family party at 49 York Street.  They married on November 12, 1903, at the Baptist Chapel, Welshpool. (49 York St was Jennie and Reg’s home)

When  Mr. Griffiths began work on the railway it was 13 shillings a week.  He had a three mile walk to the station every morning and three miles back again at night.  And there were no stops for tea. “Cup of tea?” he says, “they want it every half hour to-day.”

Mr. Griffiths, who was born at Buttington started life as a farm worker but left to seek adventure in the Army.  He spent nine years with the K.S.L.I. in India.  During the first world War he served for four years attached to the Royal Engineers and the Royal Navy attaining the rank of Signal Instructor.

A railwayman for 40 years his first appointment was as a goods porter at Welshpool, He was transferred to Oswestry but later moved to Kerry where he was a guard for two years.  Finally he became a warehouseman at Oswestry.

Oswestry born Mrs. Griffiths finds pleasure in giving a helping hand to anyone in need.  Her latest deed was to aid the collection for Dr. Barnardo’s Homes.   One thing she really likes is a whist-drive.  She plays whist so often that she says: “They taught me first in the house.  Now they are wishing they hadn’t.  I hardly ever win, but its a pleasure to play.”

Mr. and Mrs Griffiths wish they could turn back the hands of the clock to the days when prices were not quite so high as they are to-day.  They brought up a family of four daughters and three sons.

They are members of the Oswestry Old Folks Club and attend Oswald Road Presbyterian Church.

A special two tier golden wedding cake was made for the anniversary by a daughter, Mrs. E. Hinder.  Pieces of the cake are being sent to Edinburgh, Formby and other places.

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K.S.L.I.

The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 53rd Regiment and the 85th (King’s) Infantry, the K.S.L.I. moved to new barracks at Copthorne, Shrewsbury.  Its active service came in Egypt in 1882 followed by a spell in Malta; 1-K.S.L.I. saw service at Suakin on the Red Sea during the Sudan Campaign of 1885.

1-K.S.L.I. during 1895-5 where in Hong Kong where they provided signal service during the outbreak of the bubonic plague and then they moved to India.  At this, time the Battalion where on a peaceful mission.  They fought in the Boer War as a leading part in the battle of Paardeberg in February 1900 also part of the occupation of Bloemfontein and Pretoria.  They then returned to India.

During the 1914-1918 War, 1-K.S.L.I. served on the Western Front and after a spell in France, left for Salonika in October 1915.  The 6th and 7th battalion served on the Western Front or in Salonika.  The 8th battalion K.S.L.I. served in Palestine and France and earned the K.S.L.I.’s only Victoria Cross of the war.

After 1919, the K.S.L.I. served in Ireland, Germany, Aden and India, where they saw active service on the North West Frontier 1930-31.  In 1939 the battalion where in England and the 2nd battalion in the Dutch West Indies.

During the 1939-45 was, 1-K.S.L.I. served in the Dunkirk campaign in Tunisia and Italy.  They ended the war in Palestine.  The 2-K.S.L.I. landed D-Day and served in Normandy and North West Europe.  Through 1944-45 they fought in Belgium and Holland, crossing the Rhine on 25th March 1945 they ended their war at Bremen.  Private J. Stokes of the 2nd was awarded a posthumous V.C. for gallantry at Kervenheim in 1945.

The Battalions amalgamated in 1948 and saw campaigns in Korea and after service in Germany.  They took part in operations in Kenya and two companies served in the Persian Gulf in 1956 and in Aden.  The K.S.L.I. became part of the Light Infantry Brigade and their final tour of duty in Malaysia 1966-68 and on Mauritius also in 1968.  The K.S.L.I. was absorbed into the newly created Light Infantry as the 3rd Battalion in July 1968.

Which of these George Griffiths served in is unknown.  I have spoken to the Curator of the K.S.L.I. at Shrewsbury Castle if George’s records have survived both his India and First World War records would have been put together and held at Kew. Reference No: W0363/364.  I have been told that  seventry per cent of the records were destroyed.  A search at this time would be too expensive especially as it might not provide any answers.