Tibet Medal 1903 - 04 with clasp for "Gyantse".
GV Army Meritorious Service Medal.
L-6390 C. S. Mjr. J. W. Griggs, Royal Fusiliers.
James Walter Griggs was born in the parish of St Pancras in 1880, the second son of Charles Vessey Griggs and his wife, Eliza. The 1881 Census records the couple as living at 1 Little George Street, St Pancras with their two sons Charles (3 yrs) and James (1yr), together with Charles' brother Walter and a boarder called William Hart. Both Charles Griggs and William Hart were working as porters while Walter was a carman. Eliza Griggs died in 1882 and Charles married Mary Ann Ellington in 1888. His new wife already had two daughters, Mary and Emily, and by the time of the 1891 Census, the family were living at 34 Edward Street, St Pancras.
In 1898, the 18 year old James was working as a porter, like his father, and serving as a volunteer in the 7th (Militia) Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. On 11th June, he attested for the regular army, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. His Attestation Papers describe him as 5' 4" tall, weighing 117lbs and with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.
From February till September 1899, James served with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers in Malta. Following this, he was posted to the 1st Battalion in India, serving in this country till December 1900 when the Battalion was sent to Burma, and returning to India in November 1903. Soon afterwards the Fusiliers were called upon to provide reinforcements for Francis Younghusband's mission to Tibet, which had been held up at Gyantse by stiffening Tibetan resistance to their further progress towards Lhasa. About a third of the Battalion, the healthiest and fittest - those best able to withstand the rigours of high altitudes, were chosen to go. The force left Lebong on 22nd May 1904.
37 days later, after marching over 220 miles, the Fusiliers reached Gyantse and on 6th July Gyantse Jong was captured. Lhasa was sighted on 3rd August and two companies of Fusiliers were part of Colonel Younghusband's escort when he later entered the city to negotiate with the Amban. The troops stayed camped outside Lhasa till 23rd September when, negotiations having been concluded, the long march back commenced. On 28th October, the Fusiliers marched back into Lebong, having covered a total of 778 miles on the campaign, marching through some of the most difficult terrain in the world. Read the full story of the Royal Fusiliers in Tibet here.
In January 1905, James Griggs returned to England and at Windsor Castle in June 1906, King Edward VII presented Tibet Medals to 11 officers and 150 men who were still serving with the Battalion. James passed for promotion to Corporal in September 1908 but had to wait almost another two years before being actually promoted. He passed for Sergeant in July 1911 and was promoted the following year. On 22nd December 1913, he married Mary Byrne in Dublin.
When the First World War started, the 1st Royal Fusiliers were in Kinsale, Ireland, part of the 6th Division. On 7th September 1914, James Griggs embarked with the 1st Battalion at Southampton and on 21st September was in the trenches in the Soupir sector on the Aisne. A few days later, near Fleurbaix, he suffered a gun shot wound to the arm. On 29th October, he was back in England again. Recovered sufficiently to return to France in February 1915, James rejoined the 1st Royal Fusiliers. On 5th June, he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion and promoted to Company Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class 2). On 18th July 1915, James was wounded a second time, this time with a shrapnel wound in the thigh, and again evacuated from the front line to the 84th Field Ambulance and eventually back to England.
Returning to France in November 1915, James joined the 9th Royal Fusiliers. In April 1917, he was mentioned in dispatches by General Haig and on 17th June 1918, the London Gazette noted that he had been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for "devotion". On 9th July 1919, James Griggs was discharged from the army having served his country for over 21 years.
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