Wilfred Hamilton Griffiths – A Swansea Chemist Killed in the V‑1 Campaign

Early Life and Family

Wilfred Hamilton Griffiths was born in 1907 in Swansea, the son of William Howard Griffiths and Catherine Mitchell, who had married in 1901.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the Griffiths family were living at 12 Beachwood Road, Uplands, Swansea. William Howard, aged 34, was working as an Accountant, while Catherine, aged 36, was at home caring for their only child, Wilfred, then 4 years old. Also present in the household was Maud Louisa Davies, a 21‑year‑old servant.

1921 Census

The family remained at 12 Beachwood Road in 1921. William Howard, now 44, was employed as a Flour Millers Clerk General with Swansea Flour Mills, and Catherine, aged 45, continued to manage the home. By this time, Wilfred, aged 15, had been joined by a younger brother, Douglas Ronald, aged 7; both boys were attending school.

Adulthood and Occupation

1939 Register

By the 1939 Register, Wilfred was living at 300 Upper Richmond Road, Wandsworth, Middlesex. His occupation was recorded as Chemist & Druggist, reflecting his professional training and work in the pharmaceutical field.

London Under Renewed Attack in 1944

Although the main Blitz had ended in 1941, London again faced sustained bombardment in 1944. The year saw the arrival of the V‑weapon campaign, beginning in June, when Germany launched a new generation of long‑range weapons designed to strike cities without risking aircraft or pilots.

The first of these was the V‑1 flying bomb, a pilotless jet‑powered missile that produced a distinctive buzzing sound as it approached. When its engine cut out, the bomb plunged to the ground and exploded with immense force, often destroying entire streets. By late summer, the threat intensified with the introduction of the V‑2 rocket, the world’s first ballistic missile, which struck without warning and caused catastrophic destruction across central London.

18^th June 1944: One of the Deadliest V‑1 Attacks

The date of 18^th June 1944 marked one of the most devastating days of the early V‑1 campaign. A flying bomb struck the Guards’ Chapel at Wellington Barracks during a Sunday morning service, killing 121 people and injuring more than a hundred others. It was one of the deadliest single V‑1 incidents of the entire war. Several other flying bombs fell across London that day, hitting residential districts and causing widespread destruction. The unpredictability of the V‑1s meant that any street, workplace, or home could be struck without warning.

Death on 18^th June 1944

Wilfred Hamilton Griffiths was among those killed during this intense phase of the V‑1 bombardment. He lost his life at 300 Upper Richmond Road on 18^th June 1944, when a flying bomb struck the area. His death is recorded among the many civilian casualties of this destructive campaign.

Burial

Wilfred is buried at Wandsworth Cemetery, Wandsworth, where he is commemorated among the civilians who died on the Home Front during the Second World War.