▁Life ▁G w yn ▁Griff in ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Egypt , ▁where ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Service , ▁and ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁England . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁he ▁performed ▁administrative ▁duties ▁in ▁several ▁British ▁colon ies ▁in ▁Africa . ▁These ▁included ▁service ▁as ▁a ▁ci pher ▁cl erk ▁to ▁Major ▁Or de ▁Wing ate ▁in ▁Eth iop ia ▁and ▁later ▁as ▁adj ut ant ▁to ▁Prince ▁Mak onnen , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁sons ▁of ▁Emperor ▁Ha ile ▁Sel ass ie ▁I , ▁in ▁the ▁Sud an ▁Def ence ▁Force . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 - 4 7 ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁Ass istant ▁Super int endent ▁in ▁the ▁E rit re an ▁Police , ▁and ▁later ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁port ▁pilot ▁in ▁Ass ab . ▁Imper fect ▁eyes ight ▁prevent ed ▁him ▁from ▁becoming ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Mer chant ▁Navy . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁he ▁married ▁Pat ric ia ▁D orm an - Smith , ▁a ▁daughter ▁of ▁Sir ▁Regin ald ▁D orm an - Smith . ▁The ▁couple ▁lived ▁in ▁Australia ▁and ▁the ▁Can ary ▁Islands ▁before ▁sett ling ▁in ▁Int rod ac qua ▁in ▁the ▁Ab ru z zo ▁region ▁of ▁Italy . ▁They ▁had ▁no ▁children . ▁G w yn ▁Griff in ▁died ▁of ▁a ▁blood stream ▁in fection ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁while ▁being ▁treated ▁for ▁a ▁sp inal ▁disk ▁problem . ▁ ▁Work ▁Although ▁most ▁of ▁Griff in ' s ▁books ▁are ▁set ▁in