William David Griffiths – Royal Naval Reserve, M.F.A. Polmont

Stoker William David Griffiths – Royal Naval Reserve, M.F.A. Polmont

Phillip Griffiths and Catherine Morris marriage certificate St. Mark's Church, Swansea

William David Griffiths was born in 1893 in Swansea, the son of Phillip Griffiths and Catherine Morris, who had married in 1891 at St Mark’s Church, Swansea. His early life unfolded in the industrial districts of Trewyddfa and Landore, shaped by steel‑works labour, chapel life, and the large, close‑knit families typical of the Lower Swansea Valley.

Family Life

1901 Census

The 1901 Census records the Griffiths family living at 24 Trewyddfa Road, Swansea, where Phillip Griffiths, aged 35, worked as a Steel Worker, and Catherine, aged 34, managed the home. Their children — Son A. J., 11; William David, 8; Sidney, 6; Tabitha, 4; Catherine, 3; and Phillip J., 8 months — formed a busy household rooted in the industrial landscape of the valley.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family were living at Cwmpit Road, Cwmgelly, Landore. Phillip, now 46, was employed as a General Labourer, while Catherine, 45, oversaw a large family of older and younger children. Those present were Mary Jane, 23; Griffiths John, 21, a Labourer (belowground); William David, 18, working as a Finisher; Sidney, 16, a Tin Plate Worker; Ada, 9; Edgar, 6; and Sarah, 2. The census presents a picture of a household spanning all ages, with the older sons already engaged in skilled industrial work.

Naval Service – M.F.A. Polmont

During the First World War, William David Griffiths enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve, serving as a Stoker aboard the M.F.A. Polmont — a Merchant Fleet Auxiliary vessel requisitioned by the Admiralty for wartime duties.

The Merchant Fleet Auxiliary (MFA) consisted of merchant steamers taken over by the Admiralty and used for essential naval support roles. Ships like the Polmont were employed for:

• Transporting coal, stores, and ammunition

• Supporting naval bases and anchorages

• Carrying personnel and equipment

• Acting as depot or supply ships

• Undertaking harbour and coastal duties

Stokers such as William performed the hard, physical labour of tending the ship’s boilers — work carried out in extreme heat, coal dust, and poor ventilation. Conditions in boiler rooms were notoriously harsh, and disease was common among men working in such environments. Auxiliary vessels lacked the medical facilities of larger warships, making illness a significant risk for engine‑room personnel.

The Polmont formed part of the vast logistical network that sustained the Royal Navy’s wartime operations. Though not a front‑line warship, her role was vital, and the men aboard her faced demanding and often dangerous working conditions.

Death and Burial

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

William David Griffiths 
Cwmgelli Cemetery, Swansea
credit - findagrave

According to the British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, William died from disease aboard the Polmont on 26 January 1916. His body was brought home to Swansea and laid to rest at Cwmgelli Cemetery, where he is commemorated among the wartime burials of the First World War.

His Brother – Morris Griffiths

The family headstone also commemorates Morris Griffiths, William’s brother, who was killed on 27 September 1918 while serving with the King’s Liverpool Regiment, 25th Battalion. Morris has no known grave and is remembered on the Vis‑en‑Artois Memorial, which honours those who fell during the final Allied advance of 1918.