ELLISON, Percy Robert
| Service Number: | 4170 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 August 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Kalangadoo, South Australia, 5 August 1888 |
| Home Town: | Kalangadoo, Wattle Range, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Moquet Farm, France, 16 August 1916, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kalangadoo War Memorial Park Gates, Penola Coonawarra & Penola Sub-Branch R.S.S.&A.I.L.A. Honour Roll, Penola District WW1 Roll of Honor, Penola Scholars Roll of Honor, Penola War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4170, 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Jan 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4170, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 16 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4170, 50th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4170 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-08-16 |
Private Percy Robert Ellison
Private Percy Robert Ellison
Service No: 4170
Weight: 164lbs
Occupation: Farmer
N.O.K.: Mother, Mrs Elizabeth Ellison, Kalangadoo
Initial training at S.A.’s Major Camp for WW1 at Mitcham Camp, Adelaide.
Embarked for Egypt 29th February 1916 on board “The Borda”.
Private Percy Ellison was originally in the 10th Battalion, which was split in two.
Private Percy Ellison was transferred into the 50th Battalion and then sailed for France.
Pte. Percy Ellison arrived in France on board the “Arcadian” on the 12th of June 1916 and disembarked in Marseilles, France.
Pte. Percy Ellison was involved in the very first Battles at Pozieres, on the Western Front. These battles were described as very fierce in atrocious winter conditions, with some 33,000 Australian casualties in just 6 weeks.
Pte. Percy Ellison was a scout, (selected due to his physical abilities, gained early in life at Kalangadoo).
On the 16th of August 1916, Pte Percy Robert Ellison was killed in action at the battle for Mouquet Farm.
Pte Percy Ellison was awarded the
The Victory Medal
The British War Medal 1914 – 1920
Pte Percy Ellison was buried on the Battlefield. His body was never recovered.
A Memorial Plaque is located at Villers-Bretonneux, Australian War Memorial, France
Submitted 10 May 2025 by Peter Savage
Biography contributed by Julianne Ryan
Born: Percy Robert Borwick ELLISON on 05 August 1888 in Kalangadoo, Millicent,
South Australia
(SA Births 1842 - 1906 Book: 421 Page: 381 District: Gre.)
Father William Mannwaring ELLISON (d. 29/07/1912 Kalangadoo, SA) and
Mother Elizabeth Ellison (nee HESTER)
(b. 27/12/1852 Penola, SA - d.19/04/1933 in Kalangadoo, SA)
Siblings:
Mary Ann ELLISON (b: 11/11/1874 in Millicent, SA)
m. 19/11/1902 William Umpherston (b: 06/07/1866 Mount Gambier, SA)
at the Public Hall Kalangadoo, SA
Daniel Edward ELLISON
(b: 18/10/1876 Mount Gambier, SA - d. 17/08/1951 in Mount Gambier, SA
William George ELLISON
(b: 24/01/1879 in Mount Gambier, SA - d. 16 Jul 1963 in Penola, SA)
Mabel May ELLISON (b: 18/12/1880 in SA
Muriel Lillian ELLISON (twins b: 02/07/1883 in Mount Gambier, SA
Ruby Everina ELLISON (twins b: 02/07/1883 in Mount Gambier, SA
Frank Hester Montgomery ELLISON (b: 26/01/1886 in Millicent, SA
Alice Elizabeth ELLISON (b: 01/03/1891 in Millicent, SA
Eliza Minetta ELLISON (b: 05/08/1894 in Millicent, SA
Percy had lived with his mother and siblings at Kalangadoo on enlisting.
Described on enlisting as 27 years of age; single; 5' 10 1/4" tall; 164 lbs;
fair complexion; blue eyes; brown hair; Presbyterian
17/08/1915 Percy enlisted into WWI in Adelaide, SA
17/08/1915 appointed to E Company, 2nd Depot Battalion, Adelaide
15/10/1915 transferred to Mitcham Camp
11/01/1916 embarked Outer Harbour, SA, onboard HMAT A30 Borda
as a Private with 10th Infantry Battalion, 13th reinforcements
26/02/1916 transferred to 50th Infantry Battalion
29/02/1916 taken on strength in 50th Infantry Battalion - Tel-el-Kebir
05/06/1916 proceeded to join British Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria
onboard HT Arcadian
12/06/1916 disembarked in Marseilles, France
16/08/1916 noted as Killed in Action, France (no details) - in the field
Buried in Moquet Farm
There is no known grave for Percy - due to continued shelling,
His name is commemorated at the Villers-Brettoneux Memorial, France.
Medals: British war Memorial (29361); Victory medal (29179);
Memorial Plaque & Scroll (322689)
Submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 15/02/2017. Lest we forget.
Click images to start slideshow.