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Pte. Boaz Griffiths
British Army 6th Btn. Kings Shropshire Light Infantry
from:Weston, Rhyn
(d.2nd Aug 1918)
Born in 1893 in Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Boaz Griffiths was the third youngest child and youngest son of John, a coal miner, and Catherine Griffiths. In 1901, six of his siblings were living at their parents home, but he had two more older sisters, who probably had moved out. The census of 1911 gives 17 children born of which 9 survived. In this year the family lived at Albert Square, Weston Rhyn, and Boaz and his brothers, John and Charlie, were working as coal miners at Chirk Green. Their mother died probably in the first three months of 1911, the census of this year has their father as a widower, he would later live at Vine Cottages, Albert Road.
Boaz joined the Army for the KSLI in 1914 when War broke out against Germany and died on the 2nd of August 1918 at No. 12 Stationary Hospital at St. Pol. The cause of his death was Septic Meningitis. He was wounded three times and survived until on the 11th July, records 2 ORs killed and 6 wounded. Boaz was likely wounded on 11th of July when 3 men were accidentally wounded when they hit an old unexploded bomb whilst digging. Alternatively, but this does not fit with his Obituary, on 14 July at 2.30am, he was one of 3 men wounded after the enemy shelled Adept (Trench) for about 20 minutes this is according to the War Diary.
He is buried in St Pol British Cemetery. His name is also recorded on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial and St Oswalds Church, Oswestry.
