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Cenotaph record

Keith Elliott

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Bob Horrocks receiving his ribbon for his Military Cross. To the right of the photograph is Sergeant Keith Elliott who had just received his VC. - This image may be subject to copyright

Bob Horrocks receiving his ribbon for his Military Cross. To the right of the photograph is Sergeant …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Keith AWMM
  • Surname
    Elliott AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWII 6751 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Anglican, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    25 April 1916 AWMM Apiti, Manawatu-Wanganui AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 Unknown AWMM Marima Rural Delivery, Mangamaire, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
    Minister of Religion/Civilian AWMM
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Mr T.F.C. Elliott (father), Marima Rural Delivery, Mangamaire, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 1 May 1940 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
    • Greece AWMM
    • 1941 Crete AWMM
    • North Africa AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWII 6751 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Victoria Cross (VC) AWMM
      15 July 1942 . His VC citation reads; "At Ruweisat at dawn on 15 July 1942 the battalion to which Sergeant Elliott belonged was attacked on three flanks by tanks. Under heavy tank, machine-gun and shell fire, Sergeant Elliott led the platoon he was commanding to the cover of a ridge three hundred yards away, during which he sustained a chest wound. Here he re-formed his men and led them to a dominating ridge a further five hundred yards away, where they came under heavy enemy machine-gun and mortar fire. He located enemy machine-gun posts to his front and right flank, and while one section attacked on the right flank, Sergeant Elliott led seven men in a bayonet charge across five hundred yards of open ground in the face of heavy fire and captured four enemy machine-gun posts and an anti-tank gun, killing a number of the enemy and taking fifty prisoners. His section then came under fire from a machine-gun post on the left flank. He immediately charged this post single-handed and succeeded in capturing it, killing several of the enemy and taking fifteen prisoners. During these two assaults he sustained three more wounds in the back and legs. Although badly wounded in four places, Sergeant Elliott refused to leave his men until he had reformed them, handed over his prisoners, which were now increased to one hundred and thirty, and arranged for his men to rejoin the battalion. Owing to Sergeant Elliott's quick grasp of the situation, great personal courage and leadership, nineteen men, who were the only survivors of B Company of his battalion, captured and destroyed five machine-guns, one anti-tank gun, killed a great number of the enemy and captured one hundred and thirty prisoners. Sergeant Elliott sustained only one casualty amongst his men, and brought him back to the nearest advanced dressing station." VC. New Zealand Gazette 1941 No. 80 p. 1143 AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
    • WW2 POW - Bardia, Bardia, Libya AWMM
      Sidi Azeiz, Libya AWMM
      27 Nov 1941-1 January 1942 AWMM
      In the Western Desert defending Sidi Azeiz AWMM
    • WW2
      Libya, North Africa AWMM
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
    WW2 1 January 1942 AWMM
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
      Thigh wound and chest wound. AWMM
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
      Twice wounded. AWMM
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
      Malaria AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Attended Feilding Agricultural College.

    Following his studies he worked on a farm.

    He also played rugby for Bush.

    When war broke out he was working on his father's farm near Feilding and he immediately joined the 2 New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

    After serving in Greece, Crete and the early battles of the Western Desert, Elliott reached the rank of sergeant.

    At various times during the desert campaigns he was wounded, captured, freed and continued to fight.

    He won his VC at Ruweisat Ridge, in the North African Western Desert on 15 July 1942, when a platoon sergeant with 22 Battalion, 2 NZ Division.

    After the war he was ordained a minister in the Anglican Church and worked for many years in the Maori Mission before moving to Wellington as the Assistant City Missioner, and later as Welfare Officer for the Fire Service.

    His medals are held by the National Army Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand. Keith Elliot's Medal Group [http://www.army.mil.nz/at-a-glance/events/archived-events/op-valour/image-gallery/medal-images/6.htm New Zealand Army] AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    1989 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    Dunedin, Victoria Cross winners' plaque, Queens Gardens, Dunedin, New Zealand AWMM

Roll of Honour

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  • GATHERED
    Ruweisat claws our dawning fear
    Cornered by weighty;three armour hulks they rear!
    I make for the quick and 'shepherd' the men
    A wound behest,the ridges a den.
    I point them rightly to stave eagles fire
    Onwards"Elliott;"charges bayonets seven their tire.
    I clasp the Jerry,as fifty in hand
    A gunner opens I smother his plan!
    I feel more wounds carrying my back and legs
    My men a 'bastion,'handing hundreds thirty begs!
    From 22nd my battalion,only 'B' nineteen survive
    Soon I will be home,bolstering spirit alive.
    My display in the field"leading" courage allied
    Has earned me the VC;"Keith" I abide!

    Copyright:N.J.Deller 4/7/17 "God your prayer solemn we share"
    Public - Nathan John - 7 July 2017
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Sutherland, J. (1989). Gallantry awards to New Zealanders in World War Two. Christchurch, N.Z.: Regal Medals. AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 2 (Embarkations to 30th June, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 2: WW2 57 AWMM
    • New Zealand Army. (1990-2008). Wellington, N.Z.: Army General Staff. AWMM
      Army News, No. 304, 2 March 2004, p. 10. AWMM
    • Elliott, K. (1967). From cowshed to dogcollar. Wellington, N.Z.: Reed. AWMM
    • The Register of the Victoria Cross. (1997). (3rd ed.). Cheltenham, England: This England. AWMM
      p. 102 AWMM
    • Harper, G., & Richardson, C. (2006). In the face of the enemy: The complete history of the Victoria Cross and New Zealand. Auckland, N.Z.: HarperCollins NZ. AWMM
      pp. 182-192 AWMM
    • Henderson, J. (1958). 22 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. and Pomeroy, M.J. (2016). Gallant Acts and Noble Deeds: New Zealand army honours and awards for the Second World War. Auckland, N.Z.: Fair Dinkum Publications.; P.J. Beattie and M.J. Pomeroy, 2016. AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
07 July 2017Nathan JohnHettstedt GermanyOther
19 June 2015PeterAuckland, New ZealandResearcher

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