Guy Griffiths (admiral) explained

Guy Griffiths
Birth Date:1 March 1923
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Allegiance:Australia
Branch:Royal Australian Navy
Serviceyears:1937–1980
Rank:Rear Admiral
Commands:Naval Support Command (1979–80)
(1973–75)
(1965–67)
(1961–63)
Battles:
Awards:Officer of the Order of Australia
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Cross
Alma Mater:Royal Australian Naval College

Rear Admiral Guy Richmond Griffiths, (1 March 1923 – 5 March 2024) was a senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy.[1] After serving in the Second World War and surviving the sinking of in 1941, he served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was Chief of Naval Personnel and Flag Officer Naval Support Command in the 1970s.

Early life and education

Griffiths was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on 1 March 1923, and grew up in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. He entered the Royal Australian Naval College as a cadet midshipman in 1937.

Naval career

After graduation, Griffiths was posted to the Royal Navy for further training and joined the battle cruiser . He survived the sinking of the Repulse by Japanese air attack on 10 December 1941.[2] He served on several ships later in the Second World War. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1944 and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in May 1945 "For gallantry, skill and devotion to duty while serving in in the successful assault operations in the Lingayen Gulf, Luzon Island."[1]

Griffiths saw service as Gunnery Officer on in the Korean War and commanded the guided missile destroyer in the Vietnam War. As commander of, he assisted in relief operations in Darwin after Cyclone Tracy hit in 1974. In 1976 he was promoted to rear admiral and appointed Chief of Naval Personnel. In January 1979 he took up his final posting as the Flag Officer Naval Support Command. He retired in 1980.[1]

Later career

Griffiths was personnel director of Wormald International from 1980 to 1983 and was the national president of the Australian Veterans and Defence Services Council from 1980 to 2004.[2] He died on 5 March 2024, at the age of 101.[3] [4]

Honours

Griffiths received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in May 1945,[5] [6] and was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in May 1968.[7] [8]

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours "for service to the Royal Australian Navy over a period of forty-two years and particularly as Chief of Naval Personnel."[9]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rear Admiral Guy Richmond Griffiths . Royal Australian Navy . Royal Australian Navy: Biographies. November 12, 2023.
  2. Web site: Rear Admiral Guy Richmond Griffiths AO DSO DSC RN . Navy Victoria Network. November 12, 2023.
  3. Web site: Jones. Peter. Peter Jones (admiral). 5 March 2024. Obituary: RADM Guy Griffiths. 5 March 2024. Australian Naval Institute.
  4. News: Rear Admiral Guy Griffiths, Australian survivor of the 1941 sinking of HMS Repulse – obituary . 7 March 2024 . 7 March 2024 . The Telegraph.
  5. Web site: Guy Richmond Griffiths DSC . . 12 March 2024.
  6. Web site: Issue 37058 . . 2298 . 27 April 1945.
  7. Web site: Guy Richmond Griffith DSO . Australian War Memorial . 12 March 2024.
  8. Web site: Issue 44732 . . 13225.
  9. Web site: QB79 – Queen's Birthday 1979 Honours. Governor General of Australia. 9. 12 March 2024. 3 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403031553/http://gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/QB79.pdf.