A World War II veteran airman of D-Day, Arnhem and The Rhine, will be guest of honour at the spectacular Rhyl Airshow in August.
As a gunner, Bob Griffith was a member of an aircrew which towed gliders for the D-Day landings, the famous Operation Market Garden at Arnhem and Operation Varsity, the Rhine crossing in March 1945, as well as dropping supplies to “Resistance” movements in France, Holland and Norway.
But as the retired North Wales police inspector explained, he almost despaired of ever getting into the war.
“I was an ARP Messenger at 16 and in the Home Guard at 17 but when I was 18 and tried to join the Welsh Guards and the Royal Navy, I got letters to say I was in a reserved occupation (he worked on the railways), and was rejected,” said Bob, of St George’s Crescent, Rhyl.
“By 1943 they were short of air gunners and I volunteered.”
Bob got through the war relatively unscathed, but acknowledges the sacrifice paid by others not so fortunate. He and surviving members of the North Wales Coast Branch of the Aircrew Association (who have also been invited to attend the Rhyl Airshow as guests) have just laid a commemorative plaque to fallen comrades, in a service at the Llandudno Cenotaph.
This year’s Rhyl Airshow is being organised by Denbighshire County Council Events Manager Sian Davies, who is based at Rhyl Pavilion Theatre, and she said: “We are delighted to be able to invite Bob and his colleagues to what has already become North Wales biggest event with almost 90,000 attending over the two days last year.
“This is the third year of the Airshow and the seafront here at Rhyl really is a wonderful venue, a real natural stage for what has already become a major event and again it promises to be a spectacular show with the Red Arrows headlining on Sunday and a fantastic lineup of attractions.
“It is also very fitting that we acknowledge the debt the nation owes to people like Bob for the part they have played in our history.”
Born in Pensarn, one of 12 children, Bob’s parents could not afford to give him the education he needed and after a stint at a dairy he went to work for the railway.
But after he volunteered for the RAF in 1943, he qualified as an Air Gunner in North Wales in North Wales, joined an operational unit in Derbyshire and ended up an air gunner on board an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle in 297 squadron, part of 38 Group.
The little-known Albemarle was supposed to be a medium bomber but because of its design limitations ended up largely as a transporter and for towing gliders.
“I was quite hot on aircraft recognition, which is one of the reasons they wanted me as a gunner,” he said. His crew towed the same two glider pilots for D-Day, Arnhem and Rhine and the glider men came back each time. “They were the real heroes,” said Bob.
“We came under a lot of fire on D-Day, when we got over France all Hell broke loose. We must have been at only 2,000ft and I could see tracers going through the wings of the gliders. We were hit and the port engine was on fire.
“I then saw the silhouette of an unidentified aircraft, I didn’t tell the pilot as he was dealing with the fire, but I trained my guns on it and waited until I could identify it.
“It was a Lancaster bomber, I don’t think they realised how lucky they were. There was a lot of ‘friendly fire’ in those days.
“The fire was extinguished and we flew back about 100 miles on one engine and managed to land at Ford aerodrome, a naval air station.”
Bob also flew on Halifax Mk2’s and Mk3’s, taking supplies to Norway. “Flying to Norway I would be in a rear turret for eight hours, about 500ft above the sea in January and February. We were more concerned about the weather than night fighters.”
He was demobbed in January 1946, returned to the railway for a short time before trying to join the police. Rejected for being a quarter inch too small (5ft 9 ¾) he succeeded the second time he applied in 1947.
He married nurse Rhiannon in March 1951 and the couple, who have two daughters, have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.
By October 1952 he was based at Llandyrnog and remembers the old police station with oil lamps, a toilet “down the garden” and having to cook his meals on a Primus stove.
As a country bobby he dealt with everything from handling an anthrax outbreak, ex-Prisoners of War, displaced persons, thefts, assaults, domestics and crashes.
“For four years I was even the bouncer at the village hall functions because you were on duty 24 hours,” said Bob, who retired from the police 34 years ago.
He served in Wrexham, Denbigh, Rhyl, Prestatyn, Rhosymedre, Ruabon, Colwyn Bay and Llandudno and became inspector in 1969. He served for 30 years, as did two of his brothers, Dick, a Detective Sergeant who died recently, and David John Griffith, who was a chief inspector.
A qualified first aid instructor, he has played a major role in the St John Ambulance in North Wales and was knighted into the Order of St John. A former assistant commissioner of Clwyd, he also received the BEM for his work in the movement.
After leaving the police he worked for more than six years for Rhuddlan Borough Council’s planning department as an enforcement officer.
This year’s free Air Show on Rhyl promenade, being organised by Denbighshire County Council, in conjunction with the Town Council, is on Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7.
It will see the return of the world famous RAF Red Arrows who will open the main flying display day on Sunday. Other confirmed displays on Saturday include Steve Carver’s Aerobatic Display, a Lancaster bomber, a Jet Provost, a Piper Cub and the RAF Falcons.
On Sunday as well as the RAF Red Arrows, the skies above Rhyl will be filled by the Breitling Wing Walkers, a solo aerobatic display, a Strikemaster, a Pitts Special, the Royal Artillery Black Knights Parachute Display Team and the Matador display team.
Keep up to date by visiting www.rhylairshow.co.uk
