Southam in WW1

Centenary Archive

Honouring those who died and all who served

Private Mark Hugh Griffin (428236)

Mark Griffin was born in 1886 in Farnborough and the family moved to Southam when his mother, a widow, remarried in 1891. In 1910 Mark married Fanny Frances West. They lived in Daventry Street and had four daughters.

Mark worked before the war as a brickyard labourer, and as a farm labourer, and after the war as a builder’s labourer although why his attestation papers state he was an insurance agent remains a mystery. Private Griffin enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery in Exeter joining the Southern Command of the Labour Corp on 2nd December 1916. His military papers state that by 20th October 1917 he was in the Agricultural Corp categorised as B1, indicating limited fitness. In 1919 he was despatched to the Rhine with the Labour Corp in what would have been clearing up duties before being demobbed in September of that year. By then his fitness was reduced to B2. Despite his service he was not awarded medals as his service abroad was after hostilities had ended.

By 1939 he was listed as ‘incapacitated’ and he died in 1951 in Warneford Hospital aged 67 years. 

Mark Griffin was a stalwart of the British Legion and at his funeral at Southam Parish Church his coffin was covered in the Union Jack as members and ex-servicemen honoured their colleague.

Mark Griffin was a great-uncle of local historians Alan and Bill Griffin. He was brother to George who also survived the war and of Ralph who tragically died in the conflict.