Bob the Temple Builder | 25 Jun 2015 5:35 a.m. PST |
Today is the fifth anniversary of the untimely death of Paddy Griffith. I have written a short piece on my blog about this anniversary here = link Paddy was – amongst other things – the founding father of Wargame Developments and the organiser of he first Conference of Wargamers (COW) in 1980. |
Yesthatphil | 25 Jun 2015 6:13 a.m. PST |
What a tremendous difference Paddy Griffith made. Like so many enthusiasts, I didn't agree with much of what he had to say – but he helped me to see a wider range of options and was always very friendly and encouraging, irrespective of our differences. He remains a great inspiration. Phil |
Dave Jackson | 25 Jun 2015 6:14 a.m. PST |
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Bob the Temple Builder | 25 Jun 2015 7:43 a.m. PST |
Yesthatphil, Paddy was no always the easiest person to work with, but everything that he did made you THINK, THINK, AND THINK SOME MORE. Without him I would never have tried so many different approaches to wargaming. They didn't always work … but even the ones that were not that successful inevitably led you on to something that did. He is greatly missed. |
Shagnasty | 25 Jun 2015 8:19 a.m. PST |
I disagreed with many of his views but thoroughly enjoyed his ACW book. He was gone too soon. RIP |
Gwydion | 25 Jun 2015 9:16 a.m. PST |
Well done Bob for reminding us all what a loss we suffered five years ago. Paddy made a tremendous contribution to wargaming, not least by setting up WD and allowing so many original thinkers to work together to change how wargaming worked. I still play with toy soldiers and we navigated a precarious path around that and some other subjects, but managed to stay friends throughout. Challenging and forthright in argument, he was also a very kind man. When my youngest child was born, Paddy sent him a pair of stuffed toy rabbits from Belgium with the message 'Welcome Conaire to the strange world of Pink Rabbits', a lovely funny gesture from a busy and talented man. A very intelligent historian, an innovative wargamer and a great man, I miss him very much and still half expect to receive an email from him inviting me to a kriegsspiel. Knowing I never will again is a great sadness. |
Fat Wally | 25 Jun 2015 9:38 a.m. PST |
Man, five years gone already. I didn't agree with lots of stuff he wrote but he always challenged me to scratch beneath the surface of a subject and look at things from different perspective. Top bloke. Sorely missed. |
HistoryWargaming | 25 Jun 2015 12:53 p.m. PST |
I have outlined a series of 5 books to be published posthumously of his huge collection of unpublished games/ military history. His contribution to professional wargaming and NATO strategy is a story still to be told. At the moment I am working on Stuart Asquiths and Terry Wise's stuff. Hope to start on Paddy work in Jan 2016. |
Lee Brilleaux | 25 Jun 2015 1:20 p.m. PST |
Paddy was my friend and mentor. I first met him when I was 24, having devoured his 'Napoleonic Wargaming for Fun.' Despite living on different continents, we maintained a friendship by mail, and I'd often see him when I went to the UK. He basically ordered me to write a book, and acted as editor and publisher for 'Battle in Africa' and 'A Widow-making War'. I miss him. |
Bob the Temple Builder | 25 Jun 2015 1:38 p.m. PST |
Mexican Jack, And mighty fine books they are as well … as is 'Battle in the Anerican Civil War'. |
martin goddard | 25 Jun 2015 2:39 p.m. PST |
Played war-games with Paddy at Sandhurst and found him very interesting . A loss to our hobby. Particularly liked his Viking book martin |
Old Peculiar | 27 Jun 2015 3:53 p.m. PST |
He was a friend and a great conversationalist. He respected other views from his own, a lesson many could do with learning! |