L.Cpl. L.W. Griffiths, 15th London Regiment.

A small Sports Medal for the London Territorial Athletic Sports, inscribed to L.Cpl. L. W. Griffiths, Civil Service Rifles, for the Marathon 1913. (28mm diameter)

L. W. Griffiths enlisted in the 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles) in March 1909, was allotted service number 912 and joined the 6th Company. In June of the same year, the Companies were renamed with letters and the 6th Company became "F" Company. In November 1909, Griffiths was one of a number of recruits who had failed to qualify in Standard Test, Table A, and was required to carry out additional practices in order to reach the required standard. This appears to have been successful as he was appointed Lance Corporal on 15th April 1912 and in Regimental Orders No: 10 (November) 1912, he is listed as one of the men entitled to wear an Efficiency Star.

On 16th February 1913, Griffiths re-engaged for a further year with the Territorial Force and did the same the following year. However, on 4th May 1914, he was discharged at his own request.

Although the identification is by no means certain, L.W. Griffiths could be Lionel Warburton Griffiths, born in 1887, who appears on the 1911 Census as a municipal clerk (Territorial) working for the London County Council. He was commisioned as a Lieutenant in the 1/11th London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles) and saw service in Gallipoli. Promoted to Captain, he later served with the Royal Fusiliers and was Mentioned in Dispatches.

This medal was manufactured by John Pinches, Medallist, of Albert Embankment, London. This company was founded c1841 and was taken over by the Franklin Mint of Philadelphia, USA, in 1969.