John Kinsey Griffiths was the fourth of five children born to John Griffiths and Harriet nee Kinsey. He was born in Pontesbury in 1896. His siblings were Herbert, Edith, Mable and William. In 1901 his father was the miller at Lower Mill, Pontesford, about 1km east of Pontesbury. By 1911 the family was at Berriew Mill, Montgomeryshire.  By the time of his death in 1920, his parents were living at Brookside Villas, Maesbury. His father was running a corn merchants business with a partner, Arthur Roberts (of 17 Gate Street) and they had premises at 28 Oswald Road and traded as Griffiths & Roberts. In 1923 they filed for bankruptcy.

John’s military record documents are scant. His medal award shows him in the 4 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers but no detail is given as to which exact unit but most likely he was in 1/4 Bn  – 2/4 Bn and 3/4 Bn were home based and did not go overseas. The 4 Bn RWF was a Territorial Unit based in Wrexham; it went over to France in 1914 – John was not awarded the 1915 Star so did not arrive at the war until at least 1916. He died at home on 23 April 1923 and is buried in Oswestry Cemetery. He is recorded on CWGC as a war casualty so his death was attributable to war service. No details have been found regarding his cause of death. It is probable that he had been wounded or become ill as a result of war service, that his ‘wound’ had weakened him and he died of influenza.

John’s brother, Herbert Kinsey Griffiths, served as a Private in the KSLI and KOYLI.

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