Francis Lllewlyn Griffiths was the son of William Moore Griffiths and his wife Rosa August, nee Petterick. He joined up on 23 January 1915 at Victoria Barracks. At that stage he was 28 years old, 5' 8" tall, with dark brown hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion. His occupation was listed as 'clerk'. After training, he was attached to the 13 Field Artillery Brigade, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column  Reinforcements, 6th Division, as a driver and left Australia on 2o March, 1915, on board HMAT Shropshire A9. 

On 23 January, he was posted to serve with the 51st Battalion in Egypt. He contracted dysentery on 30 August, 1915, and was sent back to Mudros, Egypt, then by hospital transfer to England, where he was sent to the Devonport Military Hospital. From there, he went to France, disembarking at Marseilles. he fought for the whole of the war and was finally discherged on 20 November, 1918, having served as Driver, then Gunner, and finally Bomber. In 1918, he caught the so-called Spanish Flu, and was released from service as an invalid, before returning to Australia.