Griffiths, Walter

Walter Griffiths was born on April 1, 1894 in Wolverhampton, England to parents George and Elizabeth Griffiths. He had one brother, John, and a sister, Mary. In the early 1900s, the Griffiths’ family immigrated to Canada, and eventually made their home at Aden, Alberta. At time of enlistment, Walter was working on the family farm. On February 11, 1916, Walter Griffiths enlisted with the 113th Battalion CEF Lethbridge Highlanders. Pte Griffiths arrived in England on October 6, 1916 on the SS Tuscania, and two days later was transferred to the 15th Company Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade. He arrived in France on February 9, 1917, and would serve with the CMMGB for the next nine months, seeing action at Arras, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, and Passchendaele. On November 15, 1917, nearly one year before the signing of the Armistice, Pte Griffiths was killed in action in Belgium. As his remains were never recovered or identified, he is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial. Walter Griffiths was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. His mother, Elizabeth received the Memorial Cross and death plaque in honour of her son