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1896 Dec 18. Born Broughton, Manchester
1901 census in Southport, Lancs
He was a pupil at Charterhouse
1911 census A pupil at Temple Grove School Compton Place Road Eastbourne
1914 Oct 27. Enlisted. He was a Clerk in Inland Revenue Land Valuation Dept. His mother is Mrs M B Ward, Ash Lea, Hazel Rd, Altrincham, Lancs
1915 Nov 11. Posted to France
1916 Mar 24. Posted back to UK
1916 Aug 5. Commissioned 2nd Lt in Worc. Regt
1917 Mar 16 admitted to hospital - loss of an eye
1918 Nov 1 Declared permanently unfit because of his eye. Ordered to relinquish his commisson
1919 Jan 18. Discharged with SWB. 2nd Lt
1919 Sep 6. Claims for a glass eye
1920 Aug 28 Joined ADRIC with service number 302. Posted to D Coy
1920 Nov 14. Died in Galway. It is the same day as he was accused by the Irish as being one of 3 Auxiliaries responsible for the murder of Father Griffin. Nothing in his WO339 file to illuminate the reasons for his death. The Father Griffin murder
WS 424 says
On the night of November 14th, which was a wild night of storm and rain, Dr. Michael O'Malley and his wire and Dr. Bartly O'Beirne and his wife, were playing cards with Michael Kennedy and his first wife in the Kennedy's house in Salthill. There was a loud knock at the hall-door and three smallish men, not in uniform came in waving revolvers and shouting for "the Professor". There was no Professor there and it was only next day that it was remembered that Prof. Tomás O'Máille was always called so by the townspeople. Had he been sleeping in Kennedy's, on the run, because of the activities of his brother, Pádraig, who had a camp of Volunteers and refugees in Connemara. It was only by chance that he was not there that night. After searching the house, they allowed the O'Malleys and the O'Beirnes to go. The O'Malleys came in as they passed us and, told us what had happened, so my husband went on the run, and warned others, among them Liam O'Brien, as he went. The men stayed a long time, talking to the Kennedys and to each other, calling each other by the names of Barker and Smith and Ward. The Kennedys were terrified that they would start shooting, as they were still waving their guns and the babies were in their cots just overhead, but they got a bit quieter after a time. They said that this was quite a nice raid but that they had a terrible job to do that night, later on. They were quite upset about it. Earlier that same evening three smallish men had a meal in a Galway hotel and spoke of an unpleasant job they had to do that night. This was heard by Miss Norah O'Donnell, a visitor at the hotel. At about half-past ten I saw them passing along the front at Salthill. We livedopposite. They knocked at Finan's public-house door for some time, hoping to get a drink, but no one answered, and they went on. Near the "Bal" they met an English Protestant clergyman named Batley, an archaeologist, who was going home. They stopped him and searched him, quite politely, and then said; "We searched this gentleman yesterday". He had been searched by men in Black and Tan uniform the day before. quarter of an hour later three men in civilian clothes knocked on Fr. Griffin's door and told him he was wanted. He went with them, walking up to Lenaboy Castle, and was shot on the tennis-court, through the head. He must have died at once. The shot went through the Dominican Convent window. The nuns complained and Auxiliaries searched and found the bullet the next day. The House-keeper and a teacher named Naughton who lived next door, heard him - (Fr. Griffin) say; "I would do more than that for you" proving that he thought he was going as a priest" If he had known he would be shot, he would have gone all the same, on the chance that be was required by someone in need of a priest. He had told me that be would do so in such circumstances. He must have had an idea of it, as he took the wrong hat and a coat he GD. never wore on night-calls. 20 minutes After he bad gone, a side-car driven by a man named Quirke drove past the house and went towards Lenaboy. It must have picked up the three men as they drove on it to the "Retreat" house in Salthill, commandeered by B. & T.s shortly afterwards.A girl swore an affidavit that she heard a Black and Tan say, in a bar, that "the parson was in the bog". After the Barna men found his body, they washed it and wrapped it in a sheet and brought it on an ass-cart into the town. They brought his clothes in separately. The little ass and cart was left forgotten till evening, in the street. The whole town lamented him and would not be comforted. Fr. James O'Dea P.P. Clarenbridge (or Claregalway) is compiling the official diocesan history of Fr. Griffin for the Bishop. Fr. Griffin is buried in Loughrea in the Bishop's own grave.
However his death cert was register as epilepsy, and appears to have been suffering from same fror 3 days - ie before Father Griffin's death
He is buried at Manchester Southern Cemetery,
WO 339/60454