Frederick Charles Griffiths was born in 1893 at Brighton, Sussex, England.1 He was the son of Charles Richard Griffiths and Ann Elizabeth Godden.
On 31 March 1901 Frederick Charles Griffiths lived at 1 Exeter St, Preston Park, Brighton, Sussex, England, with his parents and family.
Frederick Charles Griffiths was a plumber's apprentice on 2 April 1911.
On 2 April 1911 Frederick Charles Griffiths lived at 21 Exeter St, Brighton, Sussex, England, with his parents and family.
When war broke out he enlisted and served with the 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment in France from 4th October 1915. He died of wounds on 12 April 1917 aged 23 years and was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He wrote many post cards to his sister Victoria May (who Fred called Queenie) both from within England and France. He had a girlfriend Louie and sister Victoria May remembered having to go to see her family to let them know that he had been killed as her mother could not do it. Some photos of Louie have survived.
In July 1915 Fred was based at the Inkerman Barracks in Woking. He wrote some postcards from there to his sister Queenie.
While Fred was still in training, his 9th Battalion landed in France, at Boulogne, on 31st August 1915. Just a few weeks later on September 25th the battalion tasted it first action at the Battle of Loos and suffered heavy losses. Fred would have joined them soon after on 4th October. In 1916 it was at Hooge (14th February), Wulverghem (30th April) and during the Battle of the Somme it fought at the Battle for Delville Wood (11th -22nd, 31st August – 2nd September) and the Battle for Guillemont (3rd – 5th September). In 1917 the battalion took part in the attack on Bois en Hache at the Vimy Ridge (9th -14th April), and this is where Fred received the wounds from which he died. According to the 9th Battalion war diary, the attack on Bois en Hache "took place in a blinding snow storm & over ground full of large shell holes & churned into a sea of mud by bad weather and heavy shelling". "The attack was timed for 5am on the 12th, just before dawn. All Companies moved into position of assembly without delay or casualty by 1am & Tea & Rum were issued to the men. The difficult operation of forming up on the proper alignment was carried out under cover of a blizzard 5 mins before zero. In the attack heavy casualties were at once sustained from M.G. fire. The first objective was at once captured with about 60 casualties, including 3 officers of “B” Coy, 1 of “A” Coy & 1 of “C” Coy. About 6 Germans who fought were bayonetted, the remainder were captured or ran away. At 5:10am the advance continued."
Frederick Charles Griffiths left a will made on 12 October 1915: (War Department Wills "FAEJ753132").
G/2981 Private Frederick Charles Griffiths died on 12 April 1917 at Bois en Hache near Souchez, France. He died of wounds. There are trench maps available which show the location of the wood Bois en Hache, and it is still visible today on Google earth (Coords 50 24 07.15 N, 2 45 06.21 E). It is mid way between the villages of Souchez and Angres. The war diary for his regiment describing the action that day is transcribed later in this chapter.
Frederick Charles Griffiths was buried at Plot 1 Row K Grave 10, Chocques Military Cemetery, Chocques, Artois, France. His parents were allowed to place an inscription at the base of the headstone, and written there is "Always in our thoughts - Mum & Dad". After the War the Salvation Army took Fred's mother to France to see his grave, along with many other mothers.
The village of Chocques is about 4 kilometres north west of Bethune on the road to Lillers, and Chocques Military Cemetery lies to the north of the village on the east side of the road to Gonnehem. Chocques was in British occupation from the late autumn 1914 to the end of the War. From January 1915 to April 1918, No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station was posted in the village, and during that time almost all the burials in the Cemetery were those of men who died there of wounds received in fighting on the Bethune front. It is interesting to note that the land occupied as British War Cemeteries in France is, by a law of 29th December 1915, the free gift of the French people for the perpetual resting place of those who are laid there.
Fred's grave was visited on 2 May 2012 by Geoff and Julitha Barber, Logan Barber, Tony and Vera Barber, Brendan Barber and Rowena Williams. A wreath was laid at the grave which included some yellow wattle flowers from Australia. The headstone had recently been renovated and the inscription looked quite crisp and newly done. The visit was organised as part of a tour of the Western Front, and also included visits to the grave of Enos England at Fleurs cemetery, and also Alfred England's memorial at Thiepval (he has no known grave), both great uncles to Vera Barber (nee England).
Next to Fred is the grave of Sergeant W.G. Thompson from the Royal Sussex Regiment who also died of wounds on the same day as Fred. Both were sent to No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station in Chocques where they would have died. William George Thompson is listed in the National Probate Index in 1917 as having come from East Grinstead in Sussex.
The site of the battle at Bois en Hache was also visited on 2 May 2012. It is a private wood, and as such appears to have survived untouched since WW1. The ground is very uneven with shell holes and trench lines visible. This was quite a surprise, as untouched areas like this are becoming quite rare.
Fred's name is recorded on a number of memorials including the Royal Sussex Regiment Chapel inside Chichester Cathedral; the War Memorial in Old Steine, Brighton; and on a memorial at his old school in Stanford Rd, Brighton.
The full War Diary entry for the Royal Sussex Regiment on the day of Fred's death is given below:
War Diary 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment: Attack on BOIS-en-HACHE - 12 April 1917.
1/4/17 Bn in line in Left Sub-section Souchez. Relieved on night 1st & 2nd by 2 Coys 8th Bn. The BUFFS. Bn moved to Divisional Reserve in billets at Fosse 10.
2/4/17 Major M. CAMPBELL-JOHNSTON struck off strength & attached to HQ 3rd Army
2/4/17 to 10/4/17 Bn trained under Capt T FOSTER for attack ordered for 10th. Lt Col Hill, M.C. returned from leave 10/11/17. Attack postponed till 12/4/17
11/4/17 Bn took over position of front from 8th Baffs on evening of 11th.
12/4/17 Attack on BOIS-en-HACHE (S2b & M32d Sheet 36c) The attack was carried out in conjunction with the 2nd Leinsters on our right, & in cooperation with an attack by the Canadian Corps. The objectives were the German 1st & 2nd line, which meant the capture of his commanding position in the Bois-en-Hache. “A” Coy on the left and “B” Coy on the right were detached to take the 2nd line, & hold it as a line of observation. “C” Coy was detailed “mop up”, consolidate & hold as line of resistance the enemy front line. “D” Coy was held in reserve. The attack was timed for 5am on the 12th, just before dawn. All Companies moved into position of assembly without delay or casualty by 1am & Tea & Rum were issued to the men. The difficult operation of forming up on the proper alignment was carried out under cover of a blizzard 5 mins before zero.
In the attack heavy casualties were at once sustained from M.G. fire. The first objective was at once captured with about 60 casualties, including 3 officers of “B” Coy, 1 of “A” Coy & 1 of “C” Coy. About 6 Germans who fought were bayonetted, the remainder were captured or ran away. At 5:10am the advance continued. “A” Coy reached all their objectives & established a line of posts 80 yds in advance of German front line. In this advance “A” & “B” & “C” Coys each lost an officer. Three attempts at a Bombing attack were made but were driven off. A counter attack against the last one resulted in the capture of 2 prisoners. “B” Coy in spite of the loss of all their officers reached their objective in small parties, one in touch with “A” Coy & 1 in touch with 2nd Leinsters. 12 men were found killed 20 yds in front of the objective. The dug-outs in the front line were picquetted, 150 yds of the line was wired by Lt Lloyd Davis & a party of 129 Field Co. R.E. with 15 men of D Coy. A Vickers Gun was successfully got into position in the centre of this line, & a Stokes Gun with 190 rounds was carried to a position on the left of the enemy front line. The ammunition was carried by men of D Coy. During the day “A” Coy got considerable shelling, but the casualties were very few.
The attack took place in a blinding snow storm & over ground full of large shell holes & churned into a sea of mud by bad weather and heavy shelling.
13/4/17 The night of 12th/13th was comparatively quiet, but the usual darkness & heaviness of the ground made communication difficult. The morning of the 13th was quiet except for shelling by single guns. At 1pm it was seen that the enemy was shelling his own line & the village of ANGRES. Consequently at 1.45pm patrols were sent out under 2/LT. P. ATTWOOD & 2/LT H. SAXON 500 yds from the German 2nd line & reported that enemy had withdrawn except for a M.G. & two snipers who were firing. Bn H.Q. was established in the German front line by 4 o’clock. By this time our patrol had Bombed the enemy out of FOSSE 6. An outpost line was established by D Coy on the SOUCHER River & before dark a patrol under 2/LT R. BURNIER reached CALVERY Trench in S.3.a & BUQUET MILL at S.3.a 55.90. The outpost line was held through the night & by 7 a.m. the Bn was relieved by 12th Bn Royal Fusiliers
19 Prisoners were captured & a large number of German dead were found in the captured trenches. Our casualties were
Officers 5 killed – 4 wounded. O.R. Killed 40 Wounded 63
Died of Wounds – O.R. 4 Total – all ranks 116
Officers in Action
C.O. Lt Col. M.V.B. HILL M.C. 2nd-in-C. Capt T. FOSTER Adjt Lt H.C. COLEMAN
Sigs. Off 2/LT P. ATTWOOD Intn Officer 2/LT R. BURNIER Bomb Off. 2/LT G.C. MOLE
“A” Coy
CAPT. C.E. GOAD
LT W.D. CHEPMELL (killed)
2/LT K.F.F. WARD (wounded)
2/LT E.R. HOLDEN (wounded)
“B” Co
CAPT G.M. SHACKEL (wounded)
LT W.B. SHAW (killed)
2/LT G.M.W. PROWSE (killed)
2/LT A. CARTER (killed)
“C” Co
2/LT B.H. VIDLER (killed)
2/LT H. SAXON
2/LT H.G. WELHAM
2/LT W.R. CHITTENDEN (wounded)
“D” Co
2/LT J.E. PAUL
2/LT R.W. ROMSBEY
2/LT A. JACKSON
CSM BARNARD, “A” Co was killed
14/4/17 Bn moved on relief to MARQUEFFLES FARM. Weather was still bad.
17/4/14 BN marched to HESINGNEUL into billets.
18/4/14 Bn marched to AUCHEL & were billeted
19/4/14 Bn marched to Training Area & were billeted at ESTREE BLANCHE

Source: http://www.nynne.org/g0/p18.htm
20/4/17 Bn rested & reorganised. ………….5

Geoffrey Barber