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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 256

A scarce 1914 operations D.S.O. group of five awarded to Major A. L. P. Griffith, Royal Artillery, who prior to the Great War was an accomplished Rugby player; he was subsequently wounded at the Aisne and twice at Ypres and was 'mentioned' on no less than four occassions during the Great War

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; 1914 Star, clasp (Lieut: A. L. P. Griffith. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major A. L. P. Griffith.); Coronation 1911, mounted as worn light enamel damage to the first, otherwise very fine (5)

D.S.O. London Gazette 9 December 1914:

'On the 14 September 1914, after being wounded, gallantly assisted in manhandling the guns out until exhausted.'

M.I.D. London Gazette 20 October 1914, 4 January, 18 May & 11 December 1917.

Arthur Lefroy Pritchard Griffith was born on 7 May 1886, he was the son of the Venerable Henry Wager Griffith who was Vicar of Thorp Arch, Yorkshire, since 1905; late Archdeacon of Lahore and Eleanor Eva, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Pritchard, Royal Artillery.

He was educated at Dover College from 1900-05 becoming a Prefect and an accomplished sportsman during his time there, notably in rugby. Going up to Clare College, Cambridge, he was offered a place with the Yorkshire XV from 1907-09, playing in the North v South match of 1907 and was a Reserve for the France v England match of 1910.

Commissioned into the Royal Artillery on 23 December 1909, Griffith was promoted Lieutenant on 23 December 1912. He served on the Western Front from 17 August 1914 and saw action at the Battle of the Aisne, during which he was wounded in the process of winning his D.S.O.; an award he was presented from the hand of The King in April 1915.

Promoted Captain on 29 May 1915 and Acting Major on 27 November 1916, he was twice wounded twice during the costly Fourth Battle of Ypres in April 1918. From then on he served as Battery Captain of 75th Battery, III Brigade, Royal Field Artillery with the Army of the Rhine until 12 November 1923 and then as Adjutant, 86th (E Anglian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Territiorial Force) from 13 November 1923-31 March 1927. Substantive Major in January 1927, from 1 April 1928 he was Officer Commanding T (Shah Sujah's Troop) Battery, XV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery at Bangalore and Kirkee. Griffiths died on 23 July 1932 at the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital, London following an operation; sold together with his MIC, which notes that he applied for a replacement Coronation 1911 Medal and a copy of A Brief Record of the Herts. Yeomanry and the Herts. Artillery, by Major A. L. P. Griffith, D.S.O., R.A., 1927.

For his dress miniatures, please see Lot 330.

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Estimate
£2,400 to £2,800

Starting price
£1900