Major (Ret'd) Edmund "Tojo" Griffiths

Passed away peacefully, at 99 on Saturday, October  30th 2021. Born in London, ON on June 17th, 1922, Ted was a dutiful soldier who enlisted at sixteen to fight overseas in WWII, and later in Korea. During his time in the service during WWII, he fought valiantly in the Italian campaign, most notably in the battle of Ortona, as a tank gunner. The 1943 Battle of Ortona would become a defining moment of his life, one he would struggle with for the rest of his days. In 1998, he was instrumental in organizing a dinner of reconciliation in Ortona, with 8 surviving German soldiers and 24 Canadian veterans of the battle. Over Christmas dinner, some 55 years later, those who had met as foes found forgiveness and reconciliation. Ted worked tirelessly to see a statue, “The Price of Peace”, installed in the heart of Ortona in 1999, and aided in the founding of the Battle of Ortona Museum.  He was also instrumental in obtaining a Sherman tank and having it installed at one of the entrances to Ortona as a visible symbol of the Canadian soldiers who fought and died in the battle. 

After WWII, Ted was sent to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, for further training. While in England, he met a nursing sister, Sterling Green, at a dance. The two would go on to marry and have a daughter, Amanda. Ted remained in the armed forces, and went on to serve in Korea, before retiring a Major, and joining the Federal Public Service in the 1960’s. As a civilian, Ted was executive assistant to Justice Minister John Turner, who would become Canada’s 17th Prime Minister, among other positions. When he finally retired, he put pen to paper for his memoirs, “Dare to be True”, published in 2000. He also took the initiative to establish the Knights Templar in Ottawa through the founding of the Priory of St. Peter.

Of all his many accomplishments, Ted was most proud of his family. He is survived by daughter Amanda and son-in-law, Dean Mellway, and by his 8 grandchildren Frank, Gillian, Carly, Robin (Nici), Darin (Amanda), Taylor, Kristina (Mike), and Benjamin (Nikki) and 9 great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Perley Rideau for their wonderful care over the last few years.

Interment will take place in the spring at Beechwood Cemetery.