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F/Lt WP Griffin MB BCh RAFO 23154 William Patrick Griffin joined the RAF in September 1933, granted a short service commission as a Flying Officer on the active list in the Medical Branch. By September 1934 he had been promoted Flight Lieutenant in that Branch. In September 1936, Griffin had completed the minimum three years of service required for a Medical Branch SSC (KR & ACI para 326.4) and transferred to the Reserve in Class D (Medical Officers). When war came to Europe, he resumed active service in the Medical Branch, Reserve of Air Force Officers. Some time late in 1940 or early in 1941 he was posted as Medical Officer to 211 Squadron (presumably after F/Lt Squire’s first long stint). Shores, Cull and Malizia in Air War for Yugoslavia Greece and Crete record that it was F/Lt Griffin as 211 Squadron MO who greeted arriving JKRV aircraft at Paramythia on 14 and 15 April 1941, warning them to depart forthwith via Agrinion to Athens.The Squadron ORB (at this point, compiled only some weeks after the events) mentions him only briefly: April 14 1941 F/Lt Griffen [sic] assumed temporary command, later relieved by F/Lt KC Dundas DFC... (p249) At this time, Doc Squire was also once more Medical Officer to 211 Squadron. He had rejoined them earlier in 1941 to replace the ill Squadron MO (unnamed by Squire but apparently Griffin, who seems to have remained with the Squadron for some time). Griffin was thus the senior 211 Squadron officer present at Paramythia and in temporary command, when HM King Peter of Yugoslavia arrived with JKRV aircraft on 14 April. Details of the JKRV movements, the fruits of Aleksandr Ognjevik’s work, are recounted on CFR Clark’s page at that date. And by that date, Harry Squire had been sent south to Agrinion to make preparations to receive the imminent withdrawal of 211 Squadron from Paramythia. There he himself greeted JKRV aircraft later on 15 April. So it came to be that the withdrawing JKRV men were greeted by both 211 Squadron MOs, Griffin at Paramythia and Squire at Agrinion! Griffin’s service to the Yugoslav Royal house was not forgotten. Details of his RAF service, including his full names, service no and the award of his Yugoslav decoration, were recorded in the official UK Government journal, the London Gazette, as follows: Air Ministry 12th August 1941 Supplement to the London Gazette 1 October 1942 Promotion or no, ill health continued to dog Griffin and by 1943 he had been invalided out, retiring with honour as Squadron Leader Griffin: SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE 7 DECEMBER 1943 p5342
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