Able Seaman Archibald Giffin (D/JX 243308) served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Born on 28th August 1923, he was the son of Francis Giffin and Mary Giffin (née McNiece) of 64 Moat Road, Ballymena, Co. Antrim. Archibald's older brother served in the Royal Air Force.
Able Seaman Giffin enlisted in January 1941. He died on 6th October 1941 aged 18 years old. At his time of death, he served at the land base H.M.S. President III but was on board S.S. Thistlegorm. H.M.S. President III was an accounting base for Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. Thistlegorm was one of those D.E.M.S. vessels.
It left Glasgow, Scotland on 2nd June 1941 bound for Alexandria, Egypt. The ship carried Bedford Trucks, Universal Carrier Armoured Vehicles, Norton and BSA Motorcycles. It also transported Bren Guns, rifles, radio equipment, and ammunition. Also on board were two L.M.S. Stanier Class 8F locomotives and railway wagons for Egyptian National Railways.
Death at Sea
The ship’s crew commanded by Captain William Ellis included 9 Royal Navy men to operate anti-aircraft and machine guns. They sailed in convoy via Cape Town, South Africa where they refuelled. From there, they followed the east coast of Africa into the Red Sea. On the journey, H.M.S. Carlisle joined S.S. Thistelgorm. These vessels moored at ‘Safe Anchorage F’ off the coast of Egypt in September 1941.
The Luftwaffe carried out searches for troopships in the area and on 5th October 1941, a Heinkel HE111 located ‘Safe Anchorage F’. It dropped 2 bombs on S.S. Thistlegorm. Both struck Hold 4 near the stern at around 0130hrs on 6th October 1941. The explosion detonated other ammunition killing 9 men on board. Of these, 4 were crew members and 5 were Royal Navy gunners. H.M.S. Carlisle picked up survivors from the blast.
Archibald Griffin has no known grave. His name is on Panel 47, Column 1 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon, England.