Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 17 February 1940

Taken For A Spy!

From a brother of Fred Griffiths, of Havelock Street, Darfield, comes interesting news about Fred’s life in the Navy.

James Griffiths says his brother joined the Navy 5 years ago and during that time has not missed one issue of the “South Yorkshire Times.”

Although at times it has reached him late in far corners of the globe it has eventually reached him (sometimes four or five issues at once) and has been eagerly received. From boyhood he longed to join the Navy and at the age of seventeen joined up at Sheffield. Being too young he was not sent for until six months later. He was home on leave at Christmas in splendid physical condition. He weighs 13 stones 3 lbs.

He told his people that it was not unusual to look out on a moonlight night from one’s ship and see a whale pop its nose up. Often they had been taken for submarines.

Fred was out in Spain when the trouble was over there and was locked up for a night for being caught taking photographs of wreckage caused by air raids. They thought he was a spy until his captain made things all right.

He enjoyed his leave at Christmas and had a time he will long remember with his old pals. But he was ready for sea again at the end of it.