TELEGRAM to Mrs E G Griffiths, Gelli Farm, Llanrug from Commodore Devenport, Juganji, 15 Tanimachi 8-chome, Minanikw, Osaka, Japan stating that he deeply regrets to inform her that her son Robert Griffith, supply assistant D/MX65858 previously reported a prisoner of war has now been reported to have died of bacterial dysentry and that a letter will follow

This material is held atGwynedd Archives Service - Caernarfon Record Office / Gwasanaeth Archifau Gwynedd, Archifdy Caernarfon

Reference
- GB 219 XM13502/7
Dates of Creation
- 1943 Aug 21

Access Information

Open

Archive Record|Table of contents

Llythyrau Rhyfel Second World War LettersXM13502

NODYN bywgraffiadol ynglyn a Robert Thomas Griffith, Gelli, Llanddeiniolen a'i brofiadau ar yr HMS Drake, HMS Royal Arthur, HMS Cicalia a'r Lisbon MaruXM13502/1

LLYTHYR oddiwrth R T Griffith, Class 106 Top Division, HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness at Mam, Dad ac Ifan yn nodi ei fod wedi cael eu llythyr bore heddiw gan ei fod y cyntaf iddo ei gael ers bod yno. Mae'n dweud ei fod newydd fod yn golchi llian sychu ar ol te a'i fod wedi setlo i lawr i sgwennu llythyr hefo rhai o'r fets. Mae'n shore leave arnynt heno ond nid yw am fynd i Skegness gan eu bod yn dangos ffilm dda heno - "Submarine Pilot", ac fe fyddant yn cael shore leave eto nos Iau. Mae'n dda ganddo glywed dipyn o newyddion am y ffermio a fod Vaynol am gael 'dairy' newydd. Mae'n son ei fod wedi llenwi'r ffurflenni ond na fydd yn cael 'allowance' iddynt gan nad oedd o yn ennill ac y byddai'n rhaid iddo gael cardiau 'insurance' i'w dangos. Mae'n nodi ei fod yn cael 3/- o gyflog y dydd ond 2/6 maent yn ei dalu rwan cyn y caiff ei 'quarterly settlement'. Mae'n dweud y bydd yn cael 3/9 o 'rum allowance' pan y bydd o ar long. Mae'n son y bydd yr hogiau i gyd yn dod a jam a thorth fechan i'r chalets ac yn gwneud bwyd i'w gilydd tua 9:30 a'u bod yn cael sport ofnadawyXM13502/2

LLYTHYR oddiwrth R T Griffith, 50 Mess, HMS Drake, Devonport, Plymouth at Ifan yn dweud ei fod yn gyrru siwt Gwilym Siop Sion iddo i'w ddanfon i'w gartref os y gwneith. Hefyd mae'n gyrru par mawr o sanau i wisgo efo 'seaboots' gan na fydd o ei heisiau bellachXM13502/3

GREETINGS CARD from Robert Thomas Griffith, Gelli, LlanddeiniolenXM13502/4

LETTER from R T Griffith describing his ship opening fire, then everybody made a mad dash to the mess for their lifebelts and by this time the chaps in the mess were jumping out of their hammocks. They all laid flat on the deck, then a Lieutenant came in and tried to get them to sing but as soon as they started a shell came in and burst in the corner of the mess, some of the lads were killed instantly and other were wounded. They tried to dress their wounds for them and put out a fire but another shell came in. There was more loss of life, then the shells started coming in one after the other and they all left and scattered on the well deck. By this time the ship was beginning to list but when he went up to his boat it had been torn in half by a shell. All but two of the boats were useless and even the remaining two were underwater. The ship was at a standstill as the Chinese stokers came up on deck but although volunteers went down into the stokehold it was too late. They were shelled and machine gunned for about 1 1/2 hours. By this time the ship was going down fast and they were beginning to abandon ship. They tore all pieces of wood loose, even table tops were being thrown overboard. The the sub. came within about 100 yards from them and they saw the torpedo coming. There was a terrific explosion, the ship appeared to be blown out of the water and he went a couple of feet in the air. Although the hatch covers were blown away he managed to get hold of one and jumped overboard with it and managed to get away from the ship. He was watching chaps jumping over when the bows of the ship went under, the stern came out of the water and she finally went down at a steep angle. A lad from Manchester swam up and clung to the hatch cover with him but after a couple of hours they heard the drone of a plane, it was a Fleet Air Arm plane. They all waved to it and they waved back. Eventually he was pulled out of the water at about 4.45pm after being in since about 7.40 in the morning. They were all very cold and hungry but were not exhausted. They thought that they would be sent home but were sent on and it looks like they will be here for some time. He like his new surroundings very much and has several new pals. The food is good and he has had new kit. All the other survivors have been kitted up as well and look like sailors again. There is no sign of war here, the shops seem to be open all night and nothing seems to be rationed. He asks if Ifan has joined any of the forces yet and tells his mother not to worry herself as he will be okXM13502/5

LETTER from Robert Thomas Griffith, Hong Kong Prisoner of War Camp to his mother, father and Ifan stating that he has been allowed to write a letter home. He hopes that they are in the best of health and that they are busy. He says that he is quite happy and healthy. He says that they have been prisoners for nine months now during which he has been thinking of home but not to worry about him as he shall be alright. He asks if they have written to him yet as he has not received a letter and neither have any of the other boys. They are allowed to write home three times a year so they can expect three letters a year from him. They are now leaving Hong Kong but they don't know where they are goingXM13502/6

TELEGRAM to Mrs E G Griffiths, Gelli Farm, Llanrug from Commodore Devenport, Juganji, 15 Tanimachi 8-chome, Minanikw, Osaka, Japan stating that he deeply regrets to inform her that her son Robert Griffith, supply assistant D/MX65858 previously reported a prisoner of war has now been reported to have died of bacterial dysentry and that a letter will followXM13502/7

LETTER from a friend of R T Griffiths to his mother stating that they had both been supply assistants so they had much in common. They were transferred to gunboats early in April. Robert to the 'Cicala' and himself to the 'Tern'. He says that he saw a lot of Robert during their stay in Hong Kong and had many happy times together. Their two ships had done excellent work during the war which was of short duration (8 December to 25 December 1941) He assures Mrs Griffith that her son was up to this time in the best of health and had gone very fat. He was held in high esteem aboard the Cicala, in fact during hostilities he not only did his duties but also all the cooking for the ships company owing to the fact that the Chinese cooks had deserted the ship after the first action. He says that their life at Prisoners of War was none to pleasant and that her son contracted dysentry during the summer of 1942 and was transferred to the hospital in the camp area. He saw him regularly every day however he was fit and well again in a matter of weeks. They were subsequently moved from Hong Kong taking passage in the Japanese Transport 'Lisbon Maru'. There were 1800 prisoners crowded into the holds of the ship, but conditions were about bearable until they were torpedoed by an American submarine. Her son scratched his leg on a wire whilst leaving the ship and owing to lack of medical attention septicimia set in, many of them suffered from dysentry owing to exposure. He got over it himself but her son had it pretty bad and his bad leg did not help matters. On arrival at Osaka, Japan on October 10 the Japanese decided that the worst cases should be movedXM13502/8

LETTER from V D H Elkington, Welsh National Book of Remembrance Appeal to Mrs E G Griffith, Caerau, Penisarwaun stating that Her Majesty the Queen Mother has expressed a wish to meet relatives of those who lost their lives during the 1939/45 war and that her name is amongst the names of those persons. He states that he would be grateful if she could confirm that she will be attending the service at Llandaf Cathedral and the service at the Welsh National War Memorial, Cathays Park, Cardiff and that it is at this latter service that the Queen Mother will meet the Relatives of the FallenXM13502/9

BOOKLET regarding the British Commonwealth War Cemetary, Yokohama, JapanXM13502/10