Griffin H Pte 873

The Ballarat Courier carried the same extract as in the following one published in the Essendon Gazette, but carried a little extra detail:-

SOLDIERS' LETTERS

NOT TOO BAD IN THE TRENCHES.

Sergt-Mjr Horace Griffin, who, it may be remembered, was one of the playing members of the Imperial Football Club, also a rowing member of the Ballarat City Club, in the course of a letter from" The Trenches" on the Gallipoli Peninsula under date 14th May, writes: "Everything is going on well, and I am in the best of health....

SOLDIERS' LETTERS. (1915, June 26). The Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 4 Edition: DAILY.. from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73968647

Essendon Gazette 8 July 1915

The following are extracts from a letter from Sergt-Major Horace Griffin:

Trenches,
May 14, 1915.

‘I suppose you have been very anxious about me, since you know we have started fighting. Everything is going on well, and I am in the best of health.  We have had a very hard fight. Sunday next will be three weeks of it, and I can tell you I have had some very narrow escapes, of which I will tell you later on. I have not had my boots off for a fortnight, and without a wash or a shave so you can guess what I look like. My whiskers will do for a paint brush; but I don’t mind that as long as we get through all right. It is very comforting to us all here to get news from those so far away. I have just come out of the firing line. I have been in it since last Saturday.

We all advanced under a heavy fire. The Australians are making a great name for themselves among all the different troops here. We are doing splendid work. We have come out for what they call "spell camp," to get built up a bit. We get very good tucker when it comes to "spell camp." It lasts for about four days; then back to work again. The life in the trenches is not too bad. I like it, and so do all here.

A LINK THAT BINDS

Many who were far apart in point of space and personal inclination have been drawn together by the war, and learnt that the ties of their common humanity are stronger than all else. Women have found and given strength.

Mrs. D. Cameron, of Napier street, Essendon, received a letter by the last mail from Mrs. Milne Horne, Gloucester place, Edinburgh, which exemplifies this.

"I made the acquaintance of your brother, Sergeant-Major H. Griffin," she wrote, "at the Anzac Club for Australian soldiers in London, where I was helping, and thought it would be a pleasure to you if I wrote. I am the widow of a colonel of Royal Horse Guards, with an only child, officer in the King's Own Scottish Borderers, who was lying wounded in a neighboring hospital. I used to go to the Anzac to tell the Australians how much we in England appreciated their coming so far to help the Empire. Your fine men are winning golden opinions. God comfort you all in the anxiety you must experience while your brother and your friends are here. God send them safe home again to their great land. I told your brother that he would be welcome at my home if he chanced to visit Scotland at any time."

A LINK THAT BINDS. (1916, January 8). Weekly Times (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 10. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121101682

Mrs. A. D. Cameron, of 22 Napier street, Essendon, has received news that her brother, Regimental Sergeant-Major Horace Griffin, was killed in action in France on August 18. He volunteered in Essendon, but was better known in Ballarat, where be carried on business as a tailor. He was a good all-round athlete, and took part in football, rowing, and running.

CASUALTIES IN FRANCE. (1916, November 10). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved June 26, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1612260

THE ROLL OF HONOR

REG. SERGT-MJR HORACE GRIFFIN.

Reg-Sergt-Mjr Horace Griffin was the second son of the late Mr John Griffin, farrier, of Mair street, and was killed in action in France on the 18th of August last. The deceased soldier, who was 30 years of age, was born at Ballarat, and educated at the Christian Brothers' school. He was a tailor by trade, serving his early apprenticeship with Mr Max Miller, of Bridge street. He was well known in Warracknabeal where he was employed with Lemmon Bros, tailors, and he played a prominent part in football, running, and cricket clubs there, being captain of the Warracknabeal premier team in 1908. He also held the gold medal for the district champion runner in the Warracknabeal "Herald" trophy at the Hospital Sports in the same year. He was also an active member of the Warracknabeal Fire Brigade. Later he returned to Ballarat, and took up business on his own account. His abilities as an athlete in Ballarat in football, rowing, and running, are well known, and often in writing home to his friends would remark that he could do with a good half back position in the field with the Imps for a season, as he was just about tired of the war, and was counting the days until they were relieved to come home for a long holiday. He enlisted in August 1914, and hence he was among the first of the volunteers for service.

THE ROLL OF HONOR. (1916, November 15). The Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 4 Edition: DAILY. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74692415

AMONG THE NOBLE DEAD

Mrs A. D. Cameron, ot 22 Napier street, Essendon, has received word that her brother, Reg. Sergeant-Major Horace Griffin, — Battalion (late 7th) was killed in action on August 18, 1916. The deceased soldier was 30 years of age, and was well-known in Ballarat and Warracknabeal. In the former place he took an active part as a playing member in football, rowing, and running. At the last-named town he was a member of the fire brigade, and also held the gold medal as the district "champion" runner in the Warracknabeal "Herald" Trophy Hospital Sports, 1908, and was captain of the premier football team the same year. He was a tailor by trade, being in business in Ballarat for a time, but being always on the alert for seeking fresh fields, he consequently travelled a good deal. He was among the first to enlist at Essendon, having gone through all the ordeals of warfare at Gallipoli. He was then sent to France, where he upheld the tradition of a soldier in the big attack, which was his last blow for liberty and freedom. He is laid away with the noble dead who live through all time.

AMONG THE NOBLE DEAD. (1917, January 3). Winner (Melbourne, Vic. : 1914 - 1917), p. 8. Retrieved September 14, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154550432