Australian Groups - Other Properties

Lot 4678    Session 15 ( 7.30pm Thursday 20th November)    Australian Groups - Other Properties

Estimate $5,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $6,000

GROUP OF FIVE TO WWII CO RAAF BASE DARWIN: Air Force Cross (GRI) GVIR type 1 issue; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. First medal with 1942 on bottom arm, second and third medals unnamed as issued, 260096 S De B Griffith impressed on last two medals. Display court mounted, the first medal tie down needs replacing, otherwise extremely fine.

Together with RAAF officer's hat badge (KC); RAAF Airman's hat badge (KC); unused embroidered blazer badges for No. 22 City of Sydney Squadron (KC) (2); Returned from Active Service badge (KC), No.AF118206; sew-on riband for first three medals.

AFC: LG 1/1/1942, p42, posn 4; announced in Australia New Year's Honour List by Governor-General Lord Gowrie.

Citation: 'This officer has shown outstanding merit and devotion to duty during his period of command of 22 Squadron... outstanding good example...in undertaking flying duties in all conditions...entirely responsible for building up his unit...into a squadron that was capable of undertaking any function within its role...His long service as an officer has been constantly good and in accordance with the best traditions of the Service.'

Sturt de Burgh Griffith, was born 15Aug 1905 at Manly, Sydney, NSW, the son of a patent attorney and member of the Legislative Assembly. He attended school at Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) and later graduated from the University of Sydney as a Bachelor of Engineering in 1928. While at school he was in the senior cadets and then the Militia. In December 1925 he joined the Citizen Air Force (CAF) and graduated with a distinguished pass in his pilot training at Point Cook, Victoria. He was commissioned in April 1926 and attached to No.3 Sqn at Richmond Air Force Base, NSW. He went to Canberra in 1927 to participate in the opening of parliament house ceremonies.

On 1 August 1928 he flew a De Havilland A1-25 to Sydney Harbour with Paramount Cinema photographer E 'Buddy' Cremer on board with the intention of photographing the arrival of four RAF Southampton Supermarine flying boats. At about 2pm while flying above the harbour at 1,000 feet the plane hovered with a stalled engine and suddenly dropped from the sky. Pilot Griffith was able to partially level it out before crashing into the water opposite Bradley's Head. He received cuts to his face and hands from hitting the windscreen and fortunately his passenger was shaken but unharmed. Within ten minutes a Naval launch from Garden Island rescued them and then Griffith and Commander A.V. Heriot of Garden Island supervised salvage of the aircraft.

Griffith transferred to the CAF Reserve in 1934 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant and following the outbreak of World War II he was mobilized for full-time service in the RAAF in September 1939. He was CO of No.22 Sqn at Richmond in 1940-41 before being posted to Canberra where he commanded the RAAF Station and the School of Army Co-operation which trained air officers supporting ground troops. This school later was renamed School of Air Support and then School of Land/Air Warfare. He was promoted to Temporary Wing Commander in October 1941 and awarded the Air Force Cross in the 1942 New Year's Honours.

In January 1942 he was posted as commander of RAAF Station Darwin taking office less than three weeks before the first Japanese air raid on 19 February. Following the raids accusations of incompetence were made against him resulting in a commission of inquiry into events of the day. Sir Charles Lowe found that some of the blame for the events must rest with Griffith and basically said Griffith was incompetent and lacking in leadership. However, Air Vice Marshall W.D. Bostock came to his defence. Unfortunately, Griffith's actions in some part had been caused by a cumbersome command structure which had constrained his authority. Though it was thought his decisions were reasonable under the circumstances, he never held another operational command.

He took command of No.7 Sqn at Bairnsdale, Victoria in April 1942 and in June was posted to No.5 Maintenance Group, Sydney and promoted to Temporary Group Captain in December 1943. In the same month he took command of No.1 Aircraft Depot, Laverton, Victoria. In October 1945 he transferred back to the reserve force and resumed his civilian occupation of patent and trademark attorney and consultant engineer. He was a Councillor (1932-51) and President (1947-48) of the Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia.

Sturt de Burgh Griffith was appointed motoring correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald in 1950 and compilations of his articles appeared annually for some years from 1959. His reports were of such a high standard and so well regarded that they could 'make or break' a new model. He also published several books on small cars. His employment with the Herald continued until December 1976. He died on 14 December 1979 at Concord Repatriation General Hospital.

With research.