ELLS , Harry
| Service Numbers: | 1919, 1919B |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 June 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wetherel, England, 27 May 1885 |
| Home Town: | Neutral Bay, North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Conductor |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, France, 11 August 1918, aged 33 years |
| Cemetery: |
Vignacourt British Cemetery, Picardie VI. B. 10. |
| Memorials: | Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, North Sydney Tramways Pictorial Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1919, 20th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Aug 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1919, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney | |
| 18 Sep 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1919, 18th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1919B, 18th Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days" |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Harry ELLIS, (Service Number 1919B), was born on 26 June 1885 in Wetherel, England. He had been working as a tram conductor in Sydney since December 1912 and this was the only role he ever had in the NSWGR&T. He was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces on 30 June 1915.
He left Australia through Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Runic’ on 9 August 1915.
He died of wounds at the 61st Casualty Clearing Station on 11 August 1918 and was buried the same day at the British Military Cemetery, Vignacourt, France by the Rev C A B Boycott.
In the delivery of Ellis’ service medals to his next of kin, his brother, dispute arose as to whether the military had corrupted his name from its true ELLS, to ELLIS. Although the contemporary documents refute this claim by drawing attention to Ellis’ own signature on his Attestation Papers, and another brother’s clear use of Ellis for both himself and his dead brother, the Australian War Memorial in 2018 cites him as ‘Harry ELLS, also known as Harry ELLIS’ in the Roll of Honour, but as Harry ELLIS in the Embarkation Roll.
Submitted 27 June 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of William and Eliza Ells. Native of Cumwhinton, Cumberland, England.
"...1919 Sergeant Harry Ellis, 18th Battalion. A tram conductor from Cumberland, England, Sgt Ellis (real name Ells) embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Runic (A54) on 9 August 1915 as a Private. He was promoted to Sergeant on 18 September 1916. Sgt Ellis died of wounds on 11 August 1918. He was 33 years of age." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
BRIEF WAS HIS CALL SAD IS OUR LOT BELOVED BY ALL BY NONE FORGOT
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Harry ELLS (Service Number 1919B) was born on 26th June 1885 in Wetherel, England. He worked as a tram conductor in Sydney from December 1912. He was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces on 30th June 1915.
He left Australia from Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Runic’ on 9th August 1915. He was taken on the strength of the 18th Australian Infantry Battalion at Gallipoli on 29th September. He served there until the evacuation in December. He went via Mudros (on the Greek island of Lemnos) to Egypt. He was made Lance Corporal in February 1916. Then he went via Alexandria and Marseilles to the Western Front in France. He was promoted to Corporal in April. He was wounded in both knees by a bomb and was evacuated via Boulogne to England. After rehabilitation and training he returned to France in August. He became a Temporary Sergeant followed by a full Sergeant.
In November he was taken on the strength of the Battalion to take up a position with the 5th Infantry Training Battalion at Tidworth Musketry School. In late December he was hospitalised with VD and spent 55 days under treatment for the disease.
By May 1917 he had left for France again. Over the next year he had a series of training appointments, hospitalisations and leave periods.
He died of wounds at the 61st Casualty Clearing Station on 11th August 1918. He was buried the same day at the British Military Cemetery, Vignacourt, France by the Rev C A B Boycott.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Click images to start slideshow.