Name: Joseph Lawson Griffin Rank: Gunner Service Number: F/2711 Service: No. 2 Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit, Royal Canadian Artillery Date of Birth: September 23, 1918 Place of Birth: McNeills Mills, Prince Co., Prince Edward Island Date of Enlistment: March 26, 1942 Place of Enlistment: Huntington, Quebec Address at Enlistment: Centreville, Kings Co., Nova Scotia Height: 5 feet, 5 ½ inches Complexion: Ruddy Eye colour: Hazel Hair colour: Dark brown Occupation: Labourer, motor mechanic, truck driver Religion: Baptist Next of Kin: Kate Wood, mother Date of Death: October 21, 1942 Age: 24 Cemetery: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England Grave: Section 33, Row E, Grave 1 Commemorated on Page 78 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 20 Joseph Lawson Griffin was the son of George Lawson Griffin (b. 1891) and Mysie Catherine ‘Kate’ (Murphy) Griffin Wood, and the half-brother of Patricia Wood. His father was born Kentville, Kings Co. Nova Scotia, and his mother was born in McNeills Mills, near the village of Conway in Prince Edward Island. His parents were married in Wolfville, Kings Co., NS. After the death of his father his mother remarried Patrick Wood and was living in Somerville in Boston, Mass. Born in Prince Edward Island, Joseph lived in Nova Scotia from infancy. He had a paternal aunt Elizabeth Rawding living in Kentville, Kings Co., NS. He also listed a second aunt, Augusta Griffin, as a contact in Kentville. The sole beneficiary of his will was Ralph Keizer in neighbouring Centreville, NS. Joseph completed one month of Basic Training at Canadian Infantry Basic Training Centre No. 60 (CIBTC 60), also known as Camp 60, in Yarmouth, NS in 1940. While there, he was hospitalised at Camp 60 from November 30 until December 11, 1940. Prior to active service enlistment in March 1942, he had been serving with the Reserves since February 19, 1942 (Service No. F/445480). He was again in Yarmouth in 1942, before transferring to Quebec for basic training at the Canadian Army Basic Training Centre No. 41 in Huntington. He was granted embarkation leave May 30, 1942, for approximately 2 weeks prior to embarking for Europe on June 12, 1942, arrived in the United Kingdom on June 25, 1942, for training in Scotland. The No. 2 Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit (CARU) was based in Scotland during the Second World War. Specifically, it was assigned to the United Kingdom on May 12, 1942, after being dispatched from Canada. Gunner Griffin joined the unit there just over a month later. Whilst serving in Scotland, Gunner Joseph Lawson Griffin died in October of 1942. He had been given leave on October 7th until the 14th and was last seen on October 9, 1942. He was originally thought to be absent without leave when he didn’t return to base on the 14th, but his body was found October 21, 1942, at 8:30 am in the Forth and Clyde Canal, opposite Whitecrook Street, at Clydebank. His death was determined to be a result of accidental drowning. Gunner Griffin was interred at the Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England.

Sources: Library and Archives Canada Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave