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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte Charles Ellis
British Army Sherwood Foresters
from:Hacconby, Lincolnshire
My Dad, who was born on the 20 September 1899 enlisted when he was 16 years old. He didn't talk much about his time in France and I failed miserably to be interested in what happened, which I very much regret. He always made us eat up out meals as children and told us the story of how luck he was when he had a tin of jam, yes, just a tin of jam - his mate had a tin of golden syrup. Imagine that - a growing boy of 16 and that was your meal! He did mention how scared he was when, one night he was on "Sentry go" and there was an awful banging noise very close to him - he HAD to investigate and it was a rat with its head stuck in a bully beef can. He was badly gassed and spent some time at the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley. After the war he was based an the Cologne Cavalry Barracks where he was friendly with a German family. Being gassed caused enormous abcesses and I remember he could not sit down for three Christmas dinners. He died at the age of 75 and I still miss that very brave man.
Elijah Ellis
British Army 1st Btn Border Regiment
from:Blackley, Manchester
(d.18th June 1915)
Elijah Ellis is remembered on the Helles memorial.
Gnr. Ellis Ellis
British Army 17th Battery Royal Field Artillery
My Father, Gunner Ellis Ellis, served with 17th Battery in XL1 Brigade, RFA, with 1st Corps 2nd Div. and was in the Battle of Nonnes Boschen (Nun's Wood) sited near Westhoek when the final charge of the Prussian Guards regiments broke through the British trenches. Only the guns of the 9th, 16th and 17th Batteries stood between the German advance and Ypres. The line held, with the gunners aided by cooks, batmen, HQ office staff with rifles, stopped the enemy's advance to the sea and the Channel Ports.
Lt. Ernest Dennis Ellis
British Army 4th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment
from:Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
(d.27th Sep 1918)
Lt Ernest Ellis was killed in action on the 27th of September 1918, whilst leading his company across the Canal du Nord, France and is interred in the British Cemetery, Noeuvres. He was the youngest beloved son of David A. Ellis and Annie Ellis. Aged 25 years.
A/Cpl. Ernest John Cameron Douglas Ellis
British Army 5th Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps
My father, Ernest Ellis enlisted in the RAMC on 1st of September 1914, and soon after entered the theatre of War in France on 24th of September 1914. From the information I was able to obtain, the 5th Field Ambulance was actively involved in a number of battle fronts in France but I have no specific details. He was discharged from service on 30th of September 1918, due to a physical injury. Cause of Discharge Para 2A - 302 XVI - AO VI.
He was born 149 Burton Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire in 1888 and would have been 26 when he enlisted. After his discharge from military service he spent 12 years working in India and Burma. His address on return was, Olive House, Green Lane, Kettering, Northants.
PO. Evan Thomas Ellis
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Collingwood Battallion
from:20 Acton Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
Evan Ellis joined the RNVR on 4th October 1914 as an Ordinary Seaman and was attached to HMS Victory Barracks in Portsmouth. Evan had previously been at sea in the merchant navy for 4 years and it is because of this experience that he very rapidly rose to the rank of Petty Officer by 12th December 1914. In early February he joined the Collingwood Battalion of RND that underwent basic infantry training at Blandford Camp in Dorset. He was made 2nd I/c of "B" Company 3rd Platoon.
On 10th May 1915 the Collingwood Battalion embarked on the HM Transport Ship Ivernia at Devonport and sailed on 12th for the Dardanelles. The ship stopped briefly at Gibraltar and Malta arriving at Mudros Harbour on 23rd May. During the next week the Collingwood Battalion underwent further field operational training in order to acclimatise to the searing heat.
On 29th May the Battalion embarked on lighters to be transported to Cape Helles where they disembarked via the legendary River Clyde and to trenches some 1.5 miles inland. During the next few days the Collingwood Battalion was to come under light mortar shell attack but suffered no casualties. All was to change on 4th June during a sustained battle for in which the Collingwood Battalion suffered heavy casualties. This became known as the 3rd Battle of Krithia. The Battalion lost 16 officers and over 500 men were killed or wounded. Evan Ellis survived this day, leading the remains of his platoon to safety after Lt. Watts, the platoon commander, was seriously wounded.
Two days later on 6th June the Battalion came under further attack and Evan recieved a serious wound from a mortar shrapnel that lodged in his lower back. He was transferred to battle dressing station and on to a casualty clearing Center before embarking on the hospital ship and evacuated to one of the many Military Hospitals that had been set up in Malta.
Evan returned to England and was treated at Chatham RNH but was declared unfit for further service because of his injury. Evan was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He also received the Silver War Badge recognising his injuries. Evan Ellis served as a War Reserve Police Officer during WW2 and died in 1970 at the age of 81.
PO. Evan Thomas Ellis
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Collingwood Btn.
from:20 Acton Street, Birches Head, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire
My grandfather, Evan Ellis, was born in Bagillt, Flintshire on 3rd September 1889. In 1907 he successfully applied to join the Mersey Division of the RNVR at HMS Eaglet, Customs House, Liverpool. In order to enrol as a boy seaman my grandfather needed to be under 18. So on his application he lied about his age and his Service Certificate states his birthday as 3rd October, thus making him one day under 18 when he signed up on 2nd October 1907. In reality he was 18 years and 1 month old.
Up to 1907 Grandfather had been a rope splicer in the coal mining industry of North Staffordshire coal field. Still in the RNVR, he joined the Merchant Navy in late 1911 and spent three years at sea gaining valuable experience which was to ensure his rapid promotion upon being mobilised for the RND in late 1914.
Commencing training at HMS Victory in Portsmouth as an Ordinary Seaman on 4th October 1914 he quickly rose through the ranks of Able Seaman, Leading Seaman and had attained the rank of Petty Officer by 12th December. He was now 25 years old. In February 1915, after the RND returned from Antwerp and their battalions reformed, grandfather was assigned to the Collingwood Battalion and placed as 2nd I/C of B Company 3rd Platoon under the command of Sub Lt Arthur Watts RNVR. The Collingwoods were held back at Blandford when the 1st and 2nd Brigades RND were dispatched for Egypt in early March 1915. Collingwood along with Benbow and Hawke Battalions were held in reserve at Bulford to complete their training.
On 10th May 1915 the Collingwood Battalion left Bulford to embark on SS Ivernia at Devonport, sailing on 12th May for a fast passage to Gibraltar arriving on 16th May for coaling and further orders. Owing to German U-boat activity, Ivernia sailed the same day for Malta arriving on 19th May. The ship stayed in Malta for 26 hours for rest and recuperation before proceeding to Mudros late on 20th May arriving on the 23rd May.
On 27th May the Battalion were given orders to proceed to the front at Cape Helles and were transferred by lighters at night to the now famous River Clyde and landed on V Beach early morning on 28th. For the next three days the Collingwoods were engaged in trench digging preparing for action which was to come so abruptly in a few days. In early June my grandfather was probably relieved to be given four days "stand easy" with the rest of the battalion.
This "stand easy" was curtailed and on 3rd June the Collingwoods were ordered forward to the frontline trenches in preparation for a general attack on 4th June. This action was to become the 3rd Battle of Krithia. At 1210 on 4th June the Collingwoods went over the top. By 1245 the battalion had taken terrible casualties and were in retreat. In just over thirty minutes they had suffered almost 500 casualties killed, wounded or missing. 16 out of 24 officers were killed and 5 were wounded including Sub Lt Watts, my grandfather's Platoon Commander. Grandfather, uninjured, was able to lead the remnants of his platoon back to relative safety of the support trenches.
Two days later, on 6th June, the Turks mounted a counterattack and my grandfather received shrapnel wounds, to his lower back, from an exploding shell. Evacuated via a casualty clearing station he was transferred to RNH Bighi on Malta aboard HMHS Soudan. He remained here for about a week before being transferred back to UK arriving on 30th June and admitted to Chatham RNH.
On 21st October 1915 he was returned to the 2nd Reserve Battalion in HMS Victory but finally succumbed to his injury and was declared unfit for further service on 24th November 1915. My grandfather was awarded the War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-15 Star as well as becoming the 100th recipient of the Silver War Badge.
My grandfather continued as a coal miner until WW2 when he became a War Reserve Police Officer. He died in 1970 still carrying the shrapnel in his lower back.
Pte. Evan Ellis
British Army 1st Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers
from:Denbigh
(d.3rd Sept 1916)
Evan was the son of Robert and Catherine Ellis; husband of Margaret Ellis, Windmill Street, Denbigh.
L/Cpl. Ezekiel "Zeke" Ellis
British Army 10th Btn. Sherwood Foresters
from:Ilkeston
(d.5th July 1916)
The short story of the uncle I never knew.
My uncle, Ezekiel Ellis, was born in 1893. The only photograph we have of him is in Ilkeston Hospital with his father. In January 1912, after my grandfather had died, Ezekiel left home, at the age of 18 years and 10 months. He left without his family's agreement but kept in contact with his younger sister Cissie.
During the Great War he served with the 10th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment. My father was 2 years old when Zeke died in 1916 and never knew his elder brother. Zeke's story was mentioned to me, many years ago, by my Aunt Cissie. I was told that he was a soldier and that he was dead. I was not told what had happened to him or anything more about him, but when my aunt died she left a brooch in the shape of a miniature bayonet with Hill 60 engraved on it, together with two sweetheart badges for the Sherwood Foresters.
These finds urged us to investigate our family tree. We confirmed where Ezekiel lived from Census information and where he was born with the Register of Births and Deaths. His service record showed that he died on 5th of July 1916 a Lance Corporal who was killed in action. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission revealed that his name is shown on the Thiepval Memorial.
Interestingly, my father fought over the same ground as his brother after landing on Sword beach in WW2. He was a Sergeant in the REME and much to his later distress one of the first to enter Bergen Belson. My wife and I, received tickets to the commemorative event at the Thiepval Memorial, to mark the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme, on 1st of July 2016 and visited again on 5th of July 2016.
Capt. F. O. Ellis
British Army 12th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment
I have a Tin Trunk with the details of Capt F O Ellis, 12th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.
Spr. Fred Ellis
British Army 333rd Road Construction Company Royal Engineers
from:Dewsbury, Yorkshire
Fred Ellis my great grandfather, a stone mason by trade, he enlisted in the 333rd Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers and attested on 10th of December 1915 at the age of 36. He was mobilized on 1st of February19 17 and with the BEF served in France until returning home 18th of April 1919. He was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Sgt. Frederick Ellis
British Army 1st Btn. Essex Regiment
from:Little Clacton, Essex
(d.25th April 1915)
Frederick Ellis was my grandfather's brother. He was killed at Gallipoli and is commemorated as one of many at the Helles Memorial.
Cpl. Frederick Ellis
British Army 9th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment
from:Liverpool
My father, Frederick Ellis enlisted in the East Lancashire Regiment at Fullwood Barracks in 1914. He was assigned to the 9th Regiment of the 22nd Division. At the end of the conflict he reenlisted into the Royal Army Service Corps and was eventually discharged in June of 1920. He served in Salonika for all but a couple of months of the conflict. We are looking any information.
A/L/Cpl. Frederick Ellis
British Army 333rd Road Construction Coy. Royal Engineers
from:Dewsbury, Yorkshire
Pte G H Ellis
British Army 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers
(d.7th Apr 1918)
Ellis, G, H. Private, 5498, Killed 7th April 1918.
Buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, in grave P. IX. F. 1B.
From the 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers Roll of Honour.
Pte. George Robert Ellis
British Army 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers
from:Caerphilly
My grandfather, George Robert Ellis, served his country throughout the Boer War with the North Hants Regiment, and saw action in at least six major battles as the clasps on his campaign medals testify. He then enlisted into the Second Battalion of the South Wales Borderers on 5th Sept 1914. He landed as part of the 87th Brigade of the 29th Division at Helles Gallipoli in April 1915. After being withdrawn from Gallipoli he then fought on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He was discharged from the Army in Sept 1917 due to sickness as a result of battle injuries. He never rose above the rank of private.
At the outset of WWII he volunteered again even though he was over 60. He was given a tin hat and became an air raid warden for the duration. He earned six medals in all; two from the Boer War, three from WWI and one from WWII. In addition he was also awarded a Silver War Badge in WWI. One of the unsung heroes who survived, and never ever talked about his military service. I have in my possession his medals and his service pocket watch issued to him in Sept 1914. This watch is still ticking away, and I wind it every evening in his memory.
He shall grow not old as we who are left grow old, age shall not weary him nor the years condemn, at the going down of the sun and in the morning, I remember him. God rest his soul.
George Henry Ellis
British Army 2nd Lancashire and Cheshire Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Liverpool
My grandfather would never talk about his war, only to say he was lucky that he was not in mud but in the sand. He mentioned Palestine and Mesopotamia. When we were going through his things we found a certificate in Italian which seemed to say he was an honorary member of the Italian Army, but this was lost when a relative was trying to trace what it was about. I'm still checking that.
He told me about the trip on the train to Marseille and how the train was bombed and the last three carriages were destroyed - the carriages in which the sergeants travelled. Also, when in Egypt visiting the pyramids, something he would not have seen without the army. He had a bag of photos of his army days which have been lost during research.
Private Gordon Gerald Ellis
British Army Machine Gun Corps
2nd Lt. Guy S. Ellis
Royal Flying Corps 57th Squadron
(d.12th Jul 1917)
2nd Lt. Guy S Ellis served with 57th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps during WW1 and was killed in action on the 12th July 1917, aged 19. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in Belgium.
Born in Hull on 24th May 1898, Guy Ellis was studying for his Intermediate Civil Service exam when, on 29th September 1915, he joined the London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles) at Dukes Road W.C. at the age of seventeen years 4 months. The medical showed that he was 5’ 7.5” with a 37” chest. His physical development was described as fair.
Appointed Lance Corporal on 22nd April 1916, Guy had been languishing at Hare Hall Camp in Romford, Essex. He decided to apply for admission to an officer cadet unit with a view to getting a temporary commission for the duration of the war. Question 3. State in order of preference which branch of the Service... Guy wrote Flying Corps without hesitation.
His specific qualifications for the R.F.C. were considered by the selection board: Rides a motorcycle (though not a horse); can sketch; slight knowledge of electricity; moderate knowledge of the internal combustion engine; knows the whole process of photography; had map reading course; maths 6 books of Euclid, Mechanics, Trigonometry, Algebra. Sports: first XI cricket and football at school; boxing; running (100 yds., Ă‚ÂĽ mile, 220 yds., 120 yds., hurdles and high jump. Speaks French slightly. Not perfect qualifications for a pilot perhaps, but knowledge of photography would be useful for an observer.
Guy was accepted at No.1 Officer Cadet Battalion at Denham in Bucks on 6th September 1916. From Denham, he was posted to Oxford reporting for duty there on 13th November. He received his commission on 27th January 1917. The fact was noted in the London Gazette on 3rd February.
Holding the rank of temporary 2nd Lieutenant, he was seconded to 57 squadron stationed near Ypres. Here Guy settled down to the harrowing life of a young flying officer on active service. For most it was a pitifully short life, relieved only by drinking and joking in the mess in between sorties.
In July 1917 a new offensive at Ypres was planned. The aim was twofold; to break through the German lines and reach their submarine bases in Belgium, and to relieve the Russian army in the east. The RFC was playing a significant role in the build up both in combat and in reconnaissance. On 11th July, some two weeks before the battle began, an allied air offensive involving 700 aircraft began. The following day, Thursday, one of these aircraft took off with Guy Ellis in the rear as observer. When he returned, he would have to think about settling his mess bill, now standing at Ă‚ÂŁ1-5-8...
It’s not known whether it was a fighter or ground fire that hit Guy’s plane, but as it plummeted towards earth, the one thing that might have saved him was a parachute. But it was not policy to give airmen parachutes, ...possession of a parachute might impair a pilot’s nerve when in difficulties so that he would make improper use of his parachute…, was the official view. And so 19 year old Guy was dead. The odds were stacked against him anyway, for by now the life expectancy of a junior officer in a front line squadron was anything from eleven days to three weeks.
Pte. Harold Ellis
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
Pte. Harry Ellis
British Army 10th (The Prince of Wales's Own Royal) Hussars
Harry Ellis was a pre-war regular soldier in the Cavalry of the Line, which in those days, fought on horseback. He landed in France with 10th (The Prince of Wales' Own Royal) Hussars on 6th Oct 1914 and received the 1914 Star, but did not receive the 'Mons' bar '5th Aug.-22nd Nov. 1914' awarded to those who were under fire in France or Belgium during that period, although that may have resulted from his not having put in a claim.
On the 1st of Mar 1916 Harry was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) in which he served as 51197 Private H Ellis until 2nd of May 1919 when he was transferred to the Army Reserve, Class B. He had completed 12 years service with the Colours.
Pte. Harry Ellis
British Army 9th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment
from:5 Charles Street Nelson Lancashire
(d.28th Apr 1917)
Harry Ellis served with the 9th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment during WW1, he was killed in action on the 28th April 1917, aged 28. He is buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece. He was the son of Sarah and Frank Ellis of Nelson and husband of Sarah Ada Ellis and father to three children, they lived at 5 Charles Street Nelson Lancashire.
Pte. James Henry Ellis
British Army 14th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:Lincoln
(d.19th Dec 1915)
2nd Lt. James Graves St. John Ellis
British Army Royal Engineers
from:Dublin
(d.11th Oct 1915)
2nd Lt James Ellis died of wounds on the 11th of October 1915 aged 28. He is buried at Anafarta Sagir, Gallipoli
Sgt. James Ellis
Australian Imperial Forces 39th Battalion, D Coy.
from:Ballarat, Victoria
James Ellis enlisted on 14th of March 1916 in Ballarat, Victoria. After sailing from Melbourne on 27th of May 1916 he arrived in Britain on 18th of July 1916. After 4 months training he crossed to France in late November to the Western Front trenches in the winter of 1916 in Battles of Messines, Passchensaele and Amiens. He suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right forearm and was invalided to 1st Southern General Hospital (Monyhull Section) in Birmingham. He received the British War Medal and Victory Medal and returned to Australia and married in January 1919 and had two children.
John "Jack" Ellis
Canadian Expeditionary Force Eaton's Machine Gun Battery
from:Saskatchewan, Canada
My father Mr. John Ellis served with Eaton's Machine Gun Battery during WW1. Dad was living in Canada when war broke out but was originally from Barking in Essex. Dad joined up in 1915 according to the photo I have of his unit, Dad would have been 25 in 1915 having been born in March 1890. The only thing we know about his service is that he was shot in the palm of his right hand which left his second finger permanently bent. Unfortunately he died when my siblings and I were only in our teens and none of us were very interested in history then, also his war medals were stolen when my mother's house was broken into in July 1968. I have tried to do some research on the web but as his unit was only commissioned for the duration and his name seemingly very common I keep coming up against a brick wall. Can anyone let me know which of the battlefields his regiment would have been present or where I can search further myself? Here's hoping that there is a light out there.
Pte. John Ellis
British Army 1st Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry
from:Llanfairfechan, Wales
(d.12th Oct 1916)
My great uncle enlisted in Bangor, North Wales into the 284 Denbigh Yeomanry.
He had been working with horses on a farm in Anglesey, where his mother thought he was. It was not until she received the telegram to say that he had been killed did she know that he had enlisted. He died aged 22. As her first language was Welsh she had to take the telegram down to the village Post Office so that it could be read to her. Apparently her hair turned white overnight.
Her other son was serving with the Navy. Whilst on deck one night during an attack he heard a voice telling him that he would survive the War but his brother would not. He had no idea that his brother had enlisted. After the war he became a lay preacher.
At some time John changed his unit to the King's Shropshire Light Infantry 1st Batt. He was killed on 12 October 1916 during the Battle of Transloy attacking Zenith Trench. All this information came to light when I visited the Thiepval memorial. My sister and I were the first in the family to read his name on the Memorial. It is good to keep these names alive and to remember that these were real people.
Pte John Brabazon Ellis
Australian Imperial Force 9th Battalion
from:Australia
Pte. John Brabazon Ellis
Australian Imperial Force 5th Battalion
from:Australia
L/Cpl. John Ellis
British Army 9th Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers
from:Barrow in Furness
(d.20th Sep 1917)
John Ellis enlisted at Barrow in Furness, served in the 9th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (formerly 3008 RLR). He was killed in action on the 20th September 1917, aged 20. John is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial. Panel 63 to 65. His medal card shows the award of the 1914-15 Star, War and Victory Medals, it also refers to service in the Army Cyclist Corps Service No. 6503.
He was born in Jarrow, the son of Christopher Huntley and Mary Gunn Ellis (nee Webster). The 1911 Census shows his family is living at 43 Kent Street, Barrow in Furness. Christopher Ellis age 44 Machinist in Naval Construction (Driller) born North Shields, (married 23 years, children born 12, children still living 11, children died 1). Mary Gunn Ellis wife age 42 born South Shields, Elizabeth Ellis daughter age 15 born North Shields, John Ellis son age 15 at School born Jarrow, Frederick Ellis son age 11 at School born Jarrow, Christopher Ellis son age 10 at School born Jarrow, Catherine Ellis daughter age 9 born born Jarrow and Amelia Ellis daughter age 3 born born Jarrow.
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