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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte. Aubrey Edward "Grif" Griffiths
Australian Imperial Forces 33rd Batt. D Company
from:Emmaville, NSW
(d.1st Sep 1918)
Aubrey Griffiths lived and fought through all the battles that the 33rd was in, except for Morlancourt and Accroche Wood as he was still in England recovering from wounds. He was killed in the Battle of Road Wood, below is his mates description of the event written to Aubs sister.I first met your brother in France and did not know him before, we chummed up together and then I was pretty well always with him. Well Mrs. Boston I will now relate to the best of my ability what happened that day. We had a battle on the 22nd of August and it was a good one as far as casualties go and we both got out of that safe. But I and Aubrey had some narrow squeaks as we were what you call “Runners†that is taking messages back to our officer. Aubrey got hit that day on steel helmet and it cut through his helmet but never touched his head, so you see that was a bit close. Well after the 22nd of August the Germans were retreating and they retreated right back to a place called Mont St. Quentin where they stopped. We were a couple of miles from this place and we got orders at about 4 in the morning to move up, and then we were told we had to “Pop the Bags†(climb out of the trench) at 6.
So away we went at 6 in the morning and I was with “Grif†(Aubrey) and this Mont St. Quentin is a big hill and a party of us got half way up when a shell fell among us and sorry to say I think your brother got most of it. I was wounded with a piece of it but poor Aubrey was in a terrible state. I was taken to the dressing station and their I see your brother who was laid next to me. He had his face cut to pieces (I don’t like writing this part) and half his tunic was simply saturated with blood. I tried to speak to your brother but he could not speak as he tried to mumble something but could not get any further as he seemed in a bad way and I thought then that it was all over for him. I heard soon after that the poor fellow had died through the wounds he received. Your brother was very unlucky in getting killed after being out there for such a long time and the war coming to a quick close. I was very sorry I can assure you for the way he met his death and I wish to sympathize with you in your grief.
Andrew Wilson
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