395:
135:
522:. He wrote: " we had sent a special mission to Roumania under Col. Norton-Griffiths M.P. to destroy both the oil wells and the supplies of grain. Whether the mission succeeded may be judged by the fact that within six months all of the wells that had been destroyed were in working order and large supplies of oil and grain dispatched to Germany and Austria. But the head of the special mission received a
566:, Egypt. Sometime later, the boat was found empty, and a search party was launched. They soon retrieved Sir John's body, floating in the water, with a bullet wound through the temple. No weapon was found, but the coroner's court gave a verdict of suicide. His body was brought back to England and he was buried at
1016:
turns to the north in hopes of capturing the oil fields and refineries at
Ploesti, but Falkenhayn is too late: John Norton-Griffiths has done his work. The oil fields at Ploesti, Targoviste, and elsewhere are aflame and their refining facilities in ruins - a severe loss to the German war effort, as
507:
ahead of a German advance. Colonel Norton-Griffiths used such techniques as dumping cement down the wells, filling tanks with nails, and emptying storage wells and then setting them on fire. He was able, almost single-handedly, to destroy seventy refineries and 800,000 tons of crude oil.
514:
of the German army was later quoted as saying, "We must attribute our shortages in part to him".' German efforts later got some of the
Romanian fields back online for the war effort, but they were never able to recover fully.
1285:
1255:
1245:
555:
After the First World War, his business and engineering career faltered, and his health began to deteriorate. His construction firm took on a contract to carry out the heightening of the
1280:
487:. The detonation and follow-up attack led to the loss of 800 men, and following further attacks, it was evident by January 1915 that the Germans were mining to a planned system.
1290:
1053:...conferring the dignity of a Baronet of the said United Kingdom upon each of the undermentioned gentlemen and the heirs male of their respective bodies lawfully begotten...
668:
1029:
519:
562:
On 27 September 1930, while in Egypt dealing with some problems which had arisen with this dam project, Sir John took a rowboat from the beach of the Casino Hotel near
1305:
1265:
1073:
1158:
422:
1250:
1300:
1270:
406:
Norton-Griffiths was awarded contracts to carry out major engineering projects in Africa and South
America. These included work on the first 197 km of the
394:
1240:
1129:
491:
contacted Norton-Griffiths on 12 February 1915, and by the end of the month eighteen "Manchester Moles" sewer men were in France as founding members of
1295:
228:
189:
342:
In 1901, Norton-Griffiths married
Gwladys, daughter of Thomas Wood, a distillery owner (Browning, Wood & Fox). Together they had four children:
1124:
418:
1315:
863:
57:
1310:
1154:
1120:
974:
644:
488:
252:
1167:
1163:
1133:
331:
150:
1260:
1001:
810:
1104:
832:
472:
that his tunnelling workers could be useful for the war effort, but his letter was not acted upon. However, on 20 December 1914,
768:
1174:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1320:
889:
559:
at an unrealistically low price. He was facing the possibility of financial ruin and perhaps even criminal prosecution.
287:
484:
915:
530:
453:
319:
235:
194:
1275:
1182:
438:
1195:
588:
399:
1013:
492:
1095:
963:
448:
Using the experience from a successful engineering career, Norton-Griffiths built many fortifications for the
827:
414:
255:. A colourful figure in his day, known as "Empire Jack" or "Hellfire Jack", he was also the grandfather of
1235:
1033:
536:
On becoming a Knight
Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1917 he took the additional surname "Norton".
208:
17:
1325:
1230:
1225:
1050:
1009:
279:, Wales (later of London), at the time of his son's birth clerk of works at St Audries Manor Estate,
212:
867:
457:
315:
307:
163:
275:
on 13 July 1871. He was the son of John
Griffiths (1825-1891), a building contractor initially of
677:
540:
511:
295:
220:
36:
997:
970:
806:
640:
567:
347:
120:
837:
592:
407:
280:
109:
604:
434:
367:
323:
291:
248:
244:
173:
168:
286:
After a generally wasted education he spent a year, in 1887–1888, as a trooper with the
1113:
449:
379:
359:
Phoebe (1906–1976), who married Edward
Bromilow Joynson, M.B.E., of Pear Tree Cottage,
327:
311:
140:
56:
1219:
958:
632:
583:
556:
473:
351:
256:
456:. An enigmatic figure, Norton-Griffiths took to touring the trenches in a battered
1140:
772:
442:
383:
371:
240:
849:
991:
719:
480:
893:
841:
563:
469:
105:
940:
587:, which is a fictionalised account of the tunnelling operations prior to the
543:
in 1918 (although he had temporarily also held the rank in 1916), and made a
699:
504:
919:
518:
A more sceptical view of his activities was expressed by career diplomat
272:
87:
681:
666:
Miller, David (2005). "The 2nd
Regiment, King Edward's Horse, 1914-17".
1090:
544:
476:
421:
in
Staffordshire. From 1918 until 1924 he was the Conservative MP for
47:
803:
Tunnelmaster and
Arsonist of the Great War: The Norton-Griffiths Story
298:, where he worked as a 'sub-manager' at a gold mine at the age of 17.
523:
276:
607:, who played a similar role in the Italian military mining service
581:
Norton-Griffiths appears as a character in the 2021 British film,
393:
360:
573:
His widow Gwladys survived him, dying in 1974 at the age of 101.
413:
He was elected to Parliament in 1910 and was until 1918 the
283:. He had an unsettled youth and left home at the age of 17.
366:
Michael (1908–1940), Captain in the 135 Excavating Company
965:
The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power
864:"Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Norton-Griffiths (1871–1930)"
356:
Peter (1905–1983), who succeeded his father as 2nd Baronet
744:
Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage
27:
British engineer, army officer and politician (1871–1930)
1096:
contributions in Parliament by Sir John Norton-Griffiths
703:, Monday, 29 September 1930 (p. 14, Issue 45630, col B).
1286:
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
822:
820:
818:
468:
In early December 1914, Norton-Griffiths wrote to the
797:
795:
1017:
it will be months before production can be restored.
627:
625:
623:
621:
239:(13 July 1871 – 27 September 1930) was an engineer,
1076:, 29 Sep 1930, Page 10, "The Sydney Morning Herald"
669:
Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research
203:
182:
156:
146:
128:
115:
94:
74:
66:
34:
962:
398:Detail for a contract to the develop the docks at
1256:British military personnel of the Second Boer War
570:, on 18 October 1930 at the age of 59 years old.
1246:Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
830:. "Griffiths, Sir John Norton-, first baronet".
732:Debrett's Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage
479:placed eight mines beneath the positions of an
953:
951:
949:
1281:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
1074:"Famous Contractor's Death: Suicide in Egypt"
996:. University Press of Kentucky. p. 336.
661:
659:
657:
503:In 1916 he was sent to sabotage the Romanian
8:
836:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
720:"John-Norton Griffiths: A Rhodesian Pioneer"
402:, in 1913. Norton-Griffiths pictured centre.
990:Burg, David F.; Purcell, L. Edward (2010).
693:
691:
1291:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
1100:
722:, July 1969, "Rhodesiana" magazine, vol 20
31:
756:Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage
493:170 (Tunnelling) Company, Royal Engineers
318:, then in 1897 was commissioned into the
190:Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
892:. tunnellersmemorial.com. Archived from
866:. Royal Engineers Museum. Archived from
769:"Mineral Wealth of the Congo Free State"
441:at his own expense and was commissioned
1306:Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir
1266:British politicians who died by suicide
833:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
617:
1069:
1067:
941:"The 18 sewer men who changed the war"
801:Tony Bridgland and Anne Morgan 2003).
715:
713:
711:
709:
224:Sir John Norton-Griffiths, 1st Baronet
18:Sir John Norton-Griffiths, 1st Baronet
1251:British Army personnel of World War I
697:Obituary: Sir John Norton-Griffiths.
539:He was knighted in 1917 and promoted
7:
1301:People from West Somerset (district)
1271:British South Africa Police officers
374:, having married and had a daughter.
1241:Arsenal F.C. directors and chairmen
1040:. London: John Murray. p. 200.
943:, 2 July 2016, Vanessa Barford, BBC
890:"Tunnelling in the First World War"
460:loaded with crates of fine wines.
207:Member of Parliament, Director of
25:
410:in Angola between 1903 and 1908.
378:Sir John was a keen supporter of
70:"Empire Jack" or "Hell-fire Jack"
1296:Military personnel from Somerset
1183:Baronetage of the United Kingdom
1105:Parliament of the United Kingdom
969:. Free Press. pp. 163–166.
346:Ursula (1903–1992), who married
259:, a leading British politician.
133:
55:
918:. 1914-1918.net. Archived from
306:In 1896 on the outbreak of the
267:John Norton-Griffiths was born
805:. Pen & Sword Books Ltd.;
437:, Norton-Griffiths raised the
330:, then as Captain Adjutant to
1:
1316:Tunnel warfare in World War I
916:"The Tunnelling Companies RE"
312:Lieut.-Colonel Edwin Alderson
1311:Suicides by firearm in Egypt
850:UK public library membership
433:In 1914 at the start of the
1030:Hardinge of Penshurst, Lord
531:Distinguished Service Order
320:British South Africa Police
290:. before travelling to the
195:Distinguished Service Order
1357:
520:Lord Hardinge of Penshurst
1206:
1193:
1188:
1181:
1171:
1152:
1147:
1137:
1118:
1110:
1103:
734:, Debrett's, 1931, p. 354
400:Saint John, New Brunswick
326:, he served briefly with
302:Military career in Africa
211:, founding member of the
54:
1261:British Militia officers
828:Davenport-Hines, Richard
639:. London: Little Brown.
350:, and was the mother of
758:, 2003, vol. 2, p. 2951
439:2nd King Edward's Horse
386:between 1928 and 1930.
316:Mashonaland Field Force
1209:Peter Norton-Griffiths
993:Almanac of World War I
842:10.1093/ref:odnb/35260
485:Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée
403:
382:and was a director of
370:, killed in action in
1175:Sir Henry Jackson, Bt
397:
209:Arsenal Football Club
61:John Norton-Griffiths
43:John Norton-Griffiths
1155:Member of Parliament
1121:Member of Parliament
464:Tunnelling companies
253:Member of Parliament
213:Royal British Legion
1034:"London, 1916-1917"
591:. He was played by
551:Last years in Egypt
529:He was awarded the
526:for his efforts!".
338:Marriage and family
308:Second Matabele War
243:officer during the
164:Second Matabele War
1159:Wandsworth Central
1059:The London Gazette
789:, 12 October 1907.
787:The Mining Journal
589:Battle of Messines
577:In popular culture
541:lieutenant colonel
512:General Ludendorff
445:in the regiment.
423:Wandsworth Central
415:Conservative Party
404:
294:and shortly on to
221:Lieutenant-Colonel
151:Lieutenant Colonel
37:Lieutenant-Colonel
1276:Burials in Surrey
1214:
1213:
1207:Succeeded by
1172:Succeeded by
1138:Succeeded by
1008:7 December 1916
976:978-1-4391-1012-6
896:on 23 August 2010
848:(Subscription or
646:978-0-00-257221-7
568:Mickleham, Surrey
499:Oilfield sabotage
218:
217:
98:27 September 1930
16:(Redirected from
1348:
1341:UK MPs 1923–1924
1336:UK MPs 1922–1923
1331:UK MPs 1918–1922
1321:UK MPs 1910–1918
1149:New constituency
1111:Preceded by
1101:
1077:
1071:
1062:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1026:
1020:
1019:
987:
981:
980:
968:
955:
944:
938:
932:
931:
929:
927:
912:
906:
905:
903:
901:
886:
880:
879:
877:
875:
860:
854:
853:
845:
824:
813:
799:
790:
784:
782:
780:
771:. Archived from
765:
759:
753:
747:
741:
735:
729:
723:
717:
704:
695:
686:
685:
663:
652:
650:
629:
593:Tom Goodman-Hill
408:Benguela Railway
281:West Quantoxhead
238:
233:
139:
137:
136:
110:Kingdom of Egypt
101:
84:
82:
59:
32:
21:
1356:
1355:
1351:
1350:
1349:
1347:
1346:
1345:
1216:
1215:
1210:
1203:
1198:
1177:
1162:
1143:
1128:
1116:
1086:
1081:
1080:
1072:
1065:
1061:, 28 July 1922.
1049:
1045:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1004:
989:
988:
984:
977:
957:
956:
947:
939:
935:
925:
923:
914:
913:
909:
899:
897:
888:
887:
883:
873:
871:
862:
861:
857:
847:
826:
825:
816:
800:
793:
778:
776:
775:on 15 June 2008
767:
766:
762:
754:
750:
742:
738:
730:
726:
718:
707:
696:
689:
665:
664:
655:
647:
631:
630:
619:
614:
605:Gelasio Caetani
601:
579:
553:
501:
466:
435:First World War
431:
429:First World War
392:
390:Engineer and MP
368:Royal Engineers
340:
328:Brabant's Horse
324:Second Boer War
304:
292:colony of Natal
265:
249:First World War
245:Second Boer War
231:
227:
204:Other work
199:
178:
174:First World War
169:Second Boer War
134:
132:
124:
103:
99:
86:
80:
78:
62:
50:
45:
44:
41:
40:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1354:
1352:
1344:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1303:
1298:
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1278:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1218:
1217:
1212:
1211:
1208:
1205:
1192:
1186:
1185:
1179:
1178:
1173:
1170:
1151:
1145:
1144:
1139:
1136:
1117:
1114:Clarendon Hyde
1112:
1108:
1107:
1099:
1098:
1085:
1084:External links
1082:
1079:
1078:
1063:
1043:
1021:
1002:
982:
975:
959:Yergin, Daniel
945:
933:
922:on 10 May 2015
907:
881:
855:
814:
791:
760:
748:
736:
724:
705:
687:
653:
645:
633:Bloch, Michael
616:
615:
613:
610:
609:
608:
600:
597:
578:
575:
552:
549:
500:
497:
489:Lord Kitchener
465:
462:
430:
427:
391:
388:
380:Liverpool F.C.
376:
375:
364:
357:
354:
339:
336:
303:
300:
269:John Griffiths
264:
261:
216:
215:
205:
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153:
148:
144:
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141:United Kingdom
130:
126:
125:
123:Church, Surrey
119:
117:
113:
112:
102:(aged 59)
96:
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91:
76:
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
60:
52:
51:
46:
42:
35:
26:
24:
14:
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10:
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4:
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1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1236:1930 suicides
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1191:
1187:
1184:
1180:
1176:
1169:
1165:
1161:
1160:
1156:
1150:
1146:
1142:
1135:
1131:
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1115:
1109:
1106:
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1083:
1075:
1070:
1068:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1054:
1047:
1044:
1039:
1038:Old Diplomacy
1035:
1031:
1025:
1022:
1018:
1015:
1011:
1005:
1003:9780813137711
999:
995:
994:
986:
983:
978:
972:
967:
966:
960:
954:
952:
950:
946:
942:
937:
934:
921:
917:
911:
908:
895:
891:
885:
882:
870:on 1 May 2010
869:
865:
859:
856:
851:
843:
839:
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834:
829:
823:
821:
819:
815:
812:
811:0-85052-995-6
808:
804:
798:
796:
792:
788:
774:
770:
764:
761:
757:
752:
749:
746:1973, p. 1605
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737:
733:
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725:
721:
716:
714:
712:
710:
706:
702:
701:
694:
692:
688:
683:
679:
676:(333): 1–10.
675:
671:
670:
662:
660:
658:
654:
648:
642:
638:
637:Jeremy Thorpe
634:
628:
626:
624:
622:
618:
611:
606:
603:
602:
598:
596:
594:
590:
586:
585:
584:The War Below
576:
574:
571:
569:
565:
560:
558:
557:Aswan Low Dam
550:
548:
546:
542:
537:
534:
532:
527:
525:
521:
516:
513:
509:
506:
498:
496:
494:
490:
486:
482:
478:
475:
471:
463:
461:
459:
455:
454:Western Front
451:
446:
444:
440:
436:
428:
426:
424:
420:
416:
411:
409:
401:
396:
389:
387:
385:
381:
373:
369:
365:
362:
358:
355:
353:
352:Jeremy Thorpe
349:
345:
344:
343:
337:
335:
333:
332:Lord Roberts'
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
301:
299:
297:
293:
289:
284:
282:
278:
274:
270:
262:
260:
258:
257:Jeremy Thorpe
254:
250:
246:
242:
237:
230:
225:
222:
214:
210:
206:
202:
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188:
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155:
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118:
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111:
107:
97:
93:
90:, England, UK
89:
77:
73:
69:
65:
58:
53:
49:
38:
33:
30:
19:
1201:
1194:
1190:New creation
1189:
1153:
1148:
1141:Alfred Short
1119:
1089:
1058:
1052:
1046:
1037:
1024:
1007:
992:
985:
964:
936:
924:. Retrieved
920:the original
910:
898:. Retrieved
894:the original
884:
872:. Retrieved
868:the original
858:
831:
802:
786:
777:. Retrieved
773:the original
763:
755:
751:
743:
739:
731:
727:
698:
673:
667:
636:
582:
580:
572:
561:
554:
538:
535:
528:
517:
510:
502:
467:
447:
432:
412:
405:
384:Arsenal F.C.
377:
372:World War II
341:
305:
285:
268:
266:
241:British Army
223:
219:
157:Battles/wars
100:(1930-09-27)
85:13 July 1871
29:
1326:UK MPs 1910
1231:1930 deaths
1226:1871 births
1200:(of Wonham)
1094:1803–2005:
483:Brigade in
458:Rolls-Royce
425:in London.
348:John Thorpe
334:bodyguard.
288:Life Guards
67:Nickname(s)
1220:Categories
1204:1922–1930
1125:Wednesbury
1014:Ninth Army
1010:Falkenhayn
852:required.)
779:31 October
612:References
564:Alexandria
505:oil fields
470:War Office
419:Wednesbury
417:'s MP for
310:he joined
263:Early life
129:Allegiance
106:Alexandria
81:1871-07-13
1130:Jan. 1910
700:The Times
651:pp. 11-20
547:in 1922.
533:in 1916.
322:. In the
296:Transvaal
121:Mickleham
1032:(1947).
961:(2009).
682:44231140
635:(2014).
599:See also
363:, Surrey
273:Somerset
251:, and a
247:and the
88:Somerset
1196:Baronet
1091:Hansard
926:21 June
900:20 June
874:21 June
545:baronet
477:sappers
452:on the
450:Entente
1000:
973:
846:
809:
680:
643:
524:K.C.B.
481:Indian
474:German
277:Brecon
183:Awards
138:
116:Buried
678:JSTOR
443:major
361:Churt
234:
232:,
104:near
1168:1924
1164:1918
1157:for
1134:1918
1123:for
998:ISBN
971:ISBN
928:2010
902:2010
876:2010
807:ISBN
781:2007
641:ISBN
147:Rank
95:Died
75:Born
1012:'s
838:doi
314:'s
271:in
236:DSO
229:KCB
39:Sir
1222::
1066:^
1057:,
1036:.
1006:.
948:^
817:^
794:^
785:.
708:^
690:^
674:83
672:.
656:^
620:^
595:.
495:.
226:,
108:,
48:Bt
1166:–
1132:–
1055:"
1051:"
979:.
930:.
904:.
878:.
844:.
840::
783:.
684:.
649:.
83:)
79:(
20:)
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