Background
Gwyn Griffin was born in Egypt, where his father was in the Colonial Service, and was educated in England.
Gwyn Griffin was born in Egypt, where his father was in the Colonial Service, and was educated in England.
During World World War II he performed administrative duties in several British colonies in Africa. These included service as a cipher clerk to Major Orde Wingate in Ethiopia and later as adjutant to Prince Makonnen, one of the sons of Emperor Haile Selassie I, in the Sudan Defence Force. In 1946-1947 he was an Assistant Superintendent in the Eritrean Police, and later worked as a port pilot in Assab.
Imperfect eyesight prevented him from becoming an officer in the British Merchant Navy.
The couple lived in Australia and the Canary Islands before settling in Introdacqua in the Abruzzo region of Italy. They had no children.
Gwyn Griffin died of a bloodstream infection in October, while being treated for a spinal disk problem.