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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
GRIFFIN, Earle Frederick, AB A/SD, V22559, RCNVR, killed - 06 Feb 1943, HMCS LOUISBURG - Son of Harold B. and Mary B. Griffin, of Cross Creek, New Brunswick; husband of Margaret Jean Griffin, of Dalhousie Junction, New Brunswick.
AB Griffin died when his ship, HMCS LOUISBURG, which was on convoy duty in the Mediterranean, was sunk by bombs and torpedoes from Italian aircraft. AB Griffin's action station was the after depth charge rails. When the ship was torpedoed, he rushed aft to set the depth charges to safe, saving his shipmates in the water from exploding depth charges, but costing him his life.
Earle Frederick Griffin was born November 25, 1917, formerly living at Cross Creek, N.B. He was a student at the Toronto Bible College, studying for the Baptist Ministry when he enlisted in Toronto in December, 1940. He arrived at Toronto in September 1938, attended the Bible College. Able Seaman Griffin served on the high seas, Ireland, England and Scotland. He was lost while serving on the corvette HMCS LOUISBURG when it was hit by Italian bombs in the Mediterranean on February 06. 1943. Earle Griffin was a theological student even while aboard ship. In his spare time he studied the work of the Moody Bible Institute and passed his required examination while serving on board the Louisburg, in 1942. He married Margaret Jean Elizabeth Craswell on November 15, 1941, who survives him with his young son, Graham Eric: his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Berkeley Griffin of Stanley, N.B., and an only brother, Wendell G. Griffin, B.Sc., of Arvida, Québec.
Ships served in: TORONTO DIVISION RCNVR - Enlisted 04 Dec 1940. Commenced Active Service 07 Jan 1941 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 19 Jan 1941 as an OS, RCNVR * Rated A/SD 11 Nov 1941 HMCS LOUISBURG - Drafted to LOUISBURG 22 Nov 1941 as an OS, RCNVR * Rated A/AB 07 Jan 1942 * Rated AB 23 Mar 1942 HMCS NIOBE - Landed to NIOBE 06 Jan 1943 (1 day) for hospital HMCS LOUISBURG - Returned to ship 07 Jan 1943
(EG01) Portrait of AB Earle Griffin
(EG02) Documents from the Service File of Earl Griffin (EG03) Article on the death of Earle Griffin // The Saint John Telegraph Journal 17 Feb 1943 // Courtesy of Operation Picture Me (EG04) Statement by Hon. R.B. Hanson in the House of Commons (Ottawa) on the death of Earle Griffin on 06 Feb 1943 (EG05) Partial letter on the actions of AB Earle Griffin and AB Rhodes during the sinking of HMCS LOUISBURG (EG06) Letter of condolence from Freda Campbell, wife (widow) of LCdr William Campbell to Margaret Griffin, wife (widow) of AB Earle Griffin. Both AB Griffin and LCdr Campbell were killed when HMCS Louisburg was sunk on 06 Feb 1943
Article on HMCS LOUISBURG K143 Casualties and Survivors
Second World War Casualty Index
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