Hubert William Douglas Griffith

Lieutenant Hubert William Douglas Griffith (10 June, 1887 – 1 March, 1917) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Glasbury, Radnor, the son of Reverend H. Griffith of All Saints Vicarage.

Gained three months' time on passing out of Britannia and receiving an appointment to Exmouth in the Mediterranean on 15 September, 1903. In 1904, he was docked one of these months for disobeying his commanding officer's orders regarding cashing cheques received from his father.

In 1904, he was appointed to Albion, where Captain Sydney Robert Fremantle noted he was "intelligent, somewhat lacking in stability."

In May 1907 he received an operation for a hernia at Haslar. He was found fit on 8 August and placed on the books of H.M.S. Excellent. He emerged with a second-class certificate in gunnery on 20 December, having earned 733 of 1,000 marks.

Griffith was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1909 and re-appointed in Cossack. He was noted as being "somewhat severe with men"

Griffith was appointed from St. George to be Lieutenant in Command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 112 on 11 July, 1914.

Griffith was appointed in command of Lapwing of the First Destroyer Flotilla in May 1916, but he apparently did not assume command until after the Battle of Jutland. On 19 August, 1916 Griffith provided prompt warning when it was thought that the battlecruisers were attacked by a submarine. He received an expression of approval from Vice-Admiral, Battle Cruiser Fleet.

Griffith was appointed to Sandhurst for the destroyer Pheasant of the Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla on 10 November, 1916, to take command upon her commissioning. Griffith died in command on 1 March, 1917 when Pheasant was apparently lost to a mine with all hands.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Alexander L. Fletcher	Captain of H.M. T.B. 99 3 Nov, 1910 – 10 Oct, 1912	Succeeded by George P. England
Preceded by Cyril Searancke	Captain of H.M. T.B. 112 11 Jul, 1914 – 30 Jun, 1915	Succeeded by William J. O'Neill
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Negro 10 May, 1915 – May, 1916	Succeeded by Alexander H. Gye
Preceded by John Fawcett	Captain of H.M.S. Orwell 30 Jun, 1915 – 10 May, 1916	Succeeded by Kingsley G. Howe
Preceded by Alexander H. Gye	Captain of H.M.S. Lapwing May, 1916 – 10 Nov, 1916	Succeeded by Lionel S. M. Adam
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Pheasant 10 Nov, 1916 – 1 Mar, 1917	Succeeded by Vessel Lost