The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. G Griffiths

Glyn Griffiths was born on 7th December 1917 in Llandudno and attended John Bright County School there. He worked at Llandudno Urban District Council’s gas department before taking a short service commission in the RAF in 1937, this ended on 22nd August 1939.

Griffiths rejoined the RAF in early April 1940 as an Airman Pilot. He arrived at 5 OTU on the 7th for a refresher course and assessment and left on 6th May. He went to 6 OTU on the 18th and after converting to Hurricanes joined 17 Squadron at Kenley on 25th May.

From 5th June the squadron was operating in France from Dinard and Le Mans. Griffiths damaged a Me109 on the 7th. The squadron was withdrawn on the 17th, reaching Tangmere on the 19th via Jersey.

On 9th July Griffiths shared in the destruction of a He111 , on the 12th he shot down a He111 and shared another, on 11th August he shared a Me110, on 5th September he got a probable He111, on the 19th shared a Ju88 and on the 22nd he destroyed a Me109, a Me110 and probably another.

Above: Griffiths walks away from his Hurricane at Castle Camps. The aircraft carried a moose head emblem.

Griffiths damaged a Do17 on 27th October, probably shot down a Me109 on the 30th and destroyed two Ju87s and shared another on 8th November.

He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 26th November 1940).

In early 1941 Griffiths was posted away from 17 Squadron to become an instructor. Commissioned from Warrant Officer in April 1942, he later went to Canada to instruct. After his return to the UK he flew operationally with 4 Squadron, an Army Co-operation unit.

On 16th October 1943 he was returning from a sortie over France in Mustang I AL993 when his wingman, F/O J Ingham in AP203 collided with him over their base at Odiham. Griffiths baled out but not before he had suffered severe burns. Ingham was killed.

He had not recovered from his injuries before the war ended.

Griffiths was released from the RAF in 1946 as a Flight Lieutenant, he died in 1983 in Epsom, Surrey.