Graham Richard Grigg
Born 5 Oct 1933 - Died 4 Dec 1965
- Service number
- Malaya 645140 AWMM
- Vietnam 645140 AWMM
- Also known as
- Dick AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Vietnam Staff Sergeant AWMM Headquarters, V Force AWMM
- War
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 5 Oct 1933 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- Pre 01 Aug 1957 AWMM 114 Wright Street, Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs N.E. Grigg (mother), Waikanae, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
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Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
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- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- Malaya 645140 AWMM
- Vietnam 645140 AWMM
- Military service
- New Zealand Territorial Force AWMM
4 years AWMM - Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
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Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- 01 Aug 1957 AWMM
Age 23 AWMM
Clerk AWMM - Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- Malaya Corporal/Military AWMM New Zealand Regiment, 1 Battalion, Medical Unit AWMM British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve AWMM
- Vietnam Staff Sergeant Ministry for Culture and Heritage Headquarters Vietnam Force (HQ V Force) Ministry for Culture and Heritage Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Vietnam Staff Sergeant AWMM
Headquarters, V Force AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- According to Colin Whyte, he was due to go to Vietnam instead of Dick Grigg, but as Colin was to be married in a couple of months, Dick stood in for him on the posting. It was during this posting that Dick was killed.
Death was caused by a cerebral haemorrage caused by high explosive blast after a terrorist bomb exploded below his room in the Metropole Hotel Saigon on 4 December 1965.At the time of his death, he was pay clerk Headquarters NZ 'V' Force. A brief Memorial Service was held at Saigon on 9 December 1965 and his body was flown to Malaysia on 11 December. The funeral service was held at Terendak with full Military Honours on 14 December. Mass was celebrated at the Church of Corpus Christi with approximately 180 people attending. When the graveside service was finished volleys were fired and wreaths laid. A telegram of condolence was despatched to the next of kin. (from letter to Minister of Defence from R.V.J. Johnson (13.1.66)
A memorial Cross was issued to the family on 8 July 1966.
Formerly buried at Terendak Camp, Malacca, Malaysia. Returned to New Zealand as part of the Te Auraki Repatriation Project.
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) began repatriating the remains of personnel buried in Malaysia during 2018.
This is part of project Te Auraki (The Return), under which the NZDF is bringing home personnel and dependants buried overseas after 1 January, 1955, following a change in Government policy.
Killed in action, 4 December 1965 – bomb explosion at the Caravelle Hotel in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Also WIA in the same incident were 39788 LCpl JC Denham and 38518 LCpl GS Smart. Buried in Terendak Camp. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 4 Dec 1965 AWMM
Age 32 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Awa Tapu Cemetery, Paraparaumu, Kapiti Coast, Wellington AWMM Plot 12, Servicemen's Burial Beam AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
- Death Notice (repatriation): Dominion Post, 25 August to 13 October 2018 AWMM
- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- Memories of New Zealand and the Vietnam War. New Zealand History online website.
http://www.vietnamwar.govt.nz/
Further Reference - New Zealand History online. New Zealand and the the Vietnam War.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/vietnam-war
Further Reference - Australia's Vietnam War
https://web.archive.org/web/20241003003021/https://vietnam.unsw.adfa.edu.au/
Further Reference - NZDF Begins Repatriation Mission in Malaysia
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/2018/nzdf-begins-repatriation-mission-in-malaysia.htm
Further Reference - Emma Hatton, 'Plaque unveiled for Vietnam vet in Paraparaumu', www.stuff.co.nz, 5 April 2017
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/91232025/plaque-unveiled-for-vietnam-vet-in-paraparaumu
Further Reference
- Memories of New Zealand and the Vietnam War. New Zealand History online website.
- References
- Subritsky, M. (Ed). (1995). The Vietnam scrapbook: The second ANZAC adventure. Papakura, N.Z.: Three Feathers Publishing Co.
- 1st Battalion - New Zealand Regiment - Historical Records - General, July 1957-1959, Archives New Zealand, Wellington, ADRC 17588 2/1/1 (R17928162).
- Clamp, B., Clamp, D., & 1st Battalion the New Zealand Regiment (1957-59) Association. (2007). 1st battalion the New Zealand regiment (1957-59) association 50th anniversary: the first of the first. B. Clamp.
- This record was partially created from Cemetery research completed by Carol Foster (2021).
- Black, E. A. (n.d.). N.Z. armed forces honours & awards : Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, 1950-1972. Wellington, N.Z.: Defence Headquarters.
- McGibbon, I.C. (2010). New Zealand's Vietnam War: a history of combat, commitment and controversy. Auckland, N.Z.: Exisle
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