Rear Admiral Guy Richmond Griffiths, AO DSO DSC (born 1923) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy.[1]

After serving in World War II and surviving the sinking of HMS Repulse in 1941, he served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was Chief of Naval Personnel and Flag Officer Naval Support Command in the 1970s.

Early life and education

Griffiths was born in Sydney in 1923 and grew up in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. He entered the Royal Australian Naval College as a Cadet Midshipman in 1937.

After graduation he was posted to the Royal Navy for further training and joined the battle cruiser HMS Repulse. He survived the sinking of the Repulse by Japanese air attack on 10 December 1941.[2] He served on several ships later in World War II. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1944 and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in May 1945 "For gallantry, skill and devotion to duty while serving in HMAS Shropshire in the successful assault operations in the Lingayen Gulf, Luzon Island."[1]

He saw service as Gunnery Officer on HMAS Sydney in the Korean War and commanded the guided missile destroyer HMAS Hobart in the Vietnam War. As commander of HMAS Melbourne he assisted in relief operations in Darwin after Cyclone Tracy hit in 1974.

In 1976 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Chief of Naval Personnel. In January 1979 he took up his final posting in the Navy as the Flag Officer Naval Support Command. He retired in 1980.[1]

Later career

Griffiths was personnel director of Wormald International in 1980-83 and was the national president of the Australian Veterans and Defence Services Council 1980–2004.[2]

Bibliography

  • Jones, Peter (2021). Guy Griffiths: The Life & Times of an Australian Admiral. North Melbourne: Arcadia. ISBN 9781922454676.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rear Admiral Guy Richmond Griffiths". Royal Australian Navy: Biographies. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Rear Admiral Guy Richmond Griffiths AO DSO DSC RN". Navy Victoria Network. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
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