Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 4602    Session 16 (9:30am Friday 3rd August)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $4,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $4,600

TRIO TO KIA AT GALLIPOLI: 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 621 Pte M.D.Griffiths 8/L.H Regt.A.I.F on first medal, 621 Pte. M.D.Griffiths. 8-L.H.R. A.I.F. on second medal and 621 Pte. M.D.Griffiths. 8-L.H. A.I.F. on last medal. All medals impressed. Very fine - good very fine.

Killed in the legendary bayonet charge at The Nek (as depicted in the 1981 Australian movie, 'Gallipoli' starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee).

Mansell David Griffiths, labourer, age 22, born at Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales; Enl.09Nov1914 at Melbourne, Vic in 8LHR; Emb.Feb1915; Emb.16May1915 from Alexandria for Gallipoli; MIA 07Aug1915 at Gallipoli, revised to KIA; Body never recovered but he is remembered at the Lone Pine Memorial and is also commemorated on the Bridgend War Memorial and the Christ College War Memorial at Brecon, Powys, Wales.

David Mansell Griffiths was the son of Robert Christopher Griffiths, a solicitor and Conservative Agent for South Glamorgan. David commenced his schooling at Llandaff Cathedral School and in 1907 at age 13 started at Christ College, Brecon. In 1908 he first won athletic honours in his age group at the College and in the same year played Fives and was in the 2nd Cricket XI. In his final school year he played for the Hockey XI, had further athletic victories and was selected for the Cricket XI.

He had emigrated to Australia when WWI broke out and he volunteered for the AIF joining the 8th Australian Light Horse. The unit was deployed to Gallipoli landing in May 1915 but without their horses which were considered unsuitable for operations on the peninsula. On 7 August 1915 he and hundreds of other men and officers were killed in 'the charge of the 8th Light Horse', a disastrous series of bayonet charges on the Turkish trenches at the Nek.

In a letter to his parents, his Squadron Commander, Captain H.Beath wrote, 'Your son was in my squadron and I was near him when he was killed. I thought a lot of him, and am proud to say he was a pal of mine. Poor old Griff (that is what we used to call him) was killed on the morning of 7th August in a bayonet charge on the Turkish trenches. Our regiment was badly cut up; very few of Griff's troops got back. Only 120 of over 500 men are left to tell the tale. We were in such a very bad place; our regiment made a grand name for themselves. You can always feel proud he belonged to the 8th L.H. We were set a very bad task that morning, but console yourself he died nobly doing his bit like the fearless boy he was.'

With research and photo.