Sergeant F. W. Ellery, MM; Katikati; born Wanganui, 28 Jul 1902; farmer. (Source: Cody, J.F. 21 Battalion. p.216.)

'The country was open and fairly level, but we were able to cross the minefields before visibility was good enough for the enemy to see what was happening … I could see a number of enemy positions between 2 and 3 hundred yds out on our left…. I shouted to Chalmers that I would work out to the left to attack the positions…. By the time we had crossed another minefield we were separated from the Platoon [Corporal Ellery's section consisted of two men and himself] by about 250 yds. Opposition was not strong until we were about to step over the wire on the edge of the field and it appeared then that they had decided to put up a fight for it so we had to take hasty cover and return their fire. There was some fast shooting for a while, but it was not long before we saw a white flag appear, and most of the firing ceased. I felt a bit uneasy at this stage … but realised that if we did not do something they would think we were afraid to go after them, so I ordered Hill and Percival to try to cover me if possible while I went out to collect them … after going about two thirds of the way, I saw a couple of Itis in a small dugout, so I collected them and made them walk in front of me … [and] waved for Hill and Percival to come on.

The first two dugouts yielded about 35 prisoners and after that it was just a matter of scouting around. The three New Zealanders ended up with 143 of them, including seven officers. When they were sure there were no more, they took the prisoners over to where the platoon had collected another hundred or so. Sergeant F. W. Ellery, MM; Katikati; born Wanganui, 28 Jul 1902; farmer.; Alam Halfa and Alamein - The platoon on the left, of fourteen men under Lieutenant Chalmers, met the only genuine opposition in the initial part of the action. Here the enemy positions were covered by a minefield through which Chalmers' men had to thread their way under machine-gun fire. While they were engaging one point of determined resistance, Corporal Ellery with two men of his section made a wide outflanking march which brought him unexpectedly into another sector of the defences, which then Sapperouted a forest of improvised white flags. As Ellery by himself, under covering fire from his two men, advanced further, the whole position facing him capitulated. With at least 143 prisoners on their hands, the three men set off to rejoin their platoon. In the meantime Chalmers' party had broken through the minefield and, after losing one man killed and one wounded, attacked the main point of resistance with vigour, killing quite a number before the rest would surrender. It was full daylight by this time and, with some 250 prisoners in hand, including Ellery's bag, the platoon set off to return to the head of the pass.' (Source: Cody, J.F. 21 Battalion. p. 216.; Walker, R. Alam Halfa and Alamein. pp. 469, 471.) AWMM