Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ronald was the son of Oscar Ernest ELY & Rhoda Isabel HARRY was born on the 5th of March 1916 in Semaphore, SA.
His parents were married on the 20th of June 1910 at the residence of her parents, Henry & Gertrude HARRY in Pt Adelaide.
His mother was the daughter of Henry John HARRY & Gertrude SMITH and was born on the 15th of January 1893 in Sandwell, SA.
His father was the son of Thomas ELY & Louise Anny Mary SCHULTZE and was born on the 18th of March 1891 in Portland, SA.
Ronald was the oldest of 3 children born into the family.

The family moved to Young Street in Parkside.
Ronald attended

In December 1920, when Ronald was only 4 years old, his parents were in the Civil Court as his father had applied for a Divorce on the grounds of his mother misconducting herself with a man from Anna Creek Station.
His father remarried to Clarice Ruby WHITEHORN on the 28th of March 1925 at the Memorial Church, Stow, SA. Clarice was the daughter of Frederick William WHITEHORN & Louisa Ann COX and was born on the 16th of May 1896 in Koolunga, SA.
Ronald was 10 years old when his half brother; Maxwell Thomas, was born on the 24th of February 1926.
The family moved to Jervois and his father was a Dairy Farmer. Ronald was educated at Jervois Primary School from 1928 to December 1929.
From 1930 to 1932 he attended the Pt Adelaide Technical School and lived with his Aunty; Sarah MCGUINNESS at 1 Stroud Street, Alberton East.
He completed his Oxy Welding (sheet metal) certificate at the Adelaide Motor Body School in Gilbert Street, Adelaide..

He enjoyed playing football, cricket and tennis. He was also a member of the Alberton Baptist Young Men’s Association and then very active in the Church.
In 1934 he gained employment with John Shearer & Sons, Kilkenny as a coremaker.
His oldest brother; Eric, married Doreen Avis CHAPMAN on the 17th of December 1936.

In 1940 Ronald lived at 1 Stroud Street, Alberton East with his Aunty; Sarah MCGUINNESS and was a coremaker, employed at John Shearer & Sons, Kilkenny.
Ronald enlisted into the RAAF on the 27th of April 1940 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 26355. Seven days later he was posted to Point Pearce, WA as a RAAF Mess Steward.
Whilst Ronald was in Point Pearce his oldest brother; Eric enlisted into the 2/10th Battalion on the 21st of March 1941 in Adelaide and allotted the service number SX11867.
Ronald remained here until the 7th of September 1941 when he was posted to No. 1 STT (School of Technical Training) at the Exhibition Building in Carlton, VIC and then 6 weeks later he was posted to No. 2 AOS (Air Observers School) in Mt Gambier, SA. It was whilst he was in Mt Gambier that Ronald decided to apply for Air Crew on the 11th of November 1941.

In March 1942, Ronald announced his engagement to Miss Lorna Eugene JARMAN of Tailem Bend. In May 1942 he was posted to

On the 18th of July 1942 Ronald was received the news that he had been remustered to Air Crew V and posted to 4 ITS (Initial Training School) at Mt Breckan, Victor Harbor for 8 weeks to complete Course 30. He was attached to B Squadron, 14 Flight.
During this time, whilst on some leave he married Lorna in July 1942 in the St Luke’s Anglican Church, Tailem Bend.

Ronald was then posted to No. 1 WAGS (Wireless Air Gunner) in Ballarat from the 18th of July 1942 to the 17th of September 1942, he then had a few weeks leave and returned.
Whilst he was posted to Ballarat he received the news that his brother; Eric was seriously wounded with multiple gun shot wounds to his chest, left forearm & thigh whilst fighting with the 2/10th in the Battle of Buna-Gona on the 24th of December 1942 and his left arm was amputated 3 days later.
Ronald remained in Ballarat until the 31st of March 1943. He was then posted to No. 3 BAGS (Bombing and Gunnery School) in Sale to complete Course 31 from the 6th of April to the 30th of April, he received his Air Gunners Badge on the 29th of April.

Ronald embarked from Sydney on the 25th of May 1943 for the UK, arriving on the 7th of July. From there he was posted to the No. 11 PDRC (Personnel Despatch and Receiving Centre) in Brighton for four weeks. On the 10th of August he was posted to No. 9 (O)AFU (Observer Advanced Flying Unit) at Llandwrog, Wales and on the 9th of November he was posted to No. 27 OTU (Operational Training Unit) in Lichfield to complete the last stage of his training.
On the 11th of November 1943 Ronald underwent an operation to remove Haemorrhoids and returned to service 9 days later.
He spent four months at Lichfield before being posted to 51 Base.

Ronald died in an air crash when the plane burst into flames on the 11th May 1944, in a non-operational night exercise. Out of the eight crew members there were four other RAAF boys on the aircraft and three were killed.
Ronald was buried in the Botley Cemetery; Section I/2, Grave 225.

Grave Reference -
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57261324/ronald-walter-ely

Short Sterling heavy bomber LJ524

On the 11th May 1944, Stirling LJ524 from 1654 HCU took off from RAF Wigsley detailed to carry out a non-operational night exercise. The aircraft crashed at 0253 hours near Harby, about 12 miles south east of Nottingham, and five of the crew died and three were injured. The engine failed while the aircraft was approaching to land, and the causes of the accident were threefold, (1) the Pilot Plt Off Dunn had applied the wrong trim, (2) he decided to go around again at ground level on three engines at night because he was not quite lined up with the runway, and (3) the aircraft stalled when at 300 feet. It was concluded that it was bad flying and airmanship on Dunn’s part.

Crew:
Pilot; Plt Off Robert Wyndham Dunn 422460 RAAF Killed
Flight Engineer; Sgt E J Wild RAF Injured
Nav; Sgt Earnest Arthur Wilmshurst 941200 RAF Killed
Nav/Bomb Aimer; WO Harold Eric Hughes 26382 RAAF Killed
Nav/Bomb Aimer; FS William Joseph Lea 418963 RAAF Killed
WOp/AG; FS Ronald Walter Ely 26355 RAAF Killed
AG; FS Geoffrey Roy Whimpey 434299 RAAF Injured
AG; FS George Edward Dowling 429881 Injured

The four RAAF members killed are buried in the Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. Sgt Wilmshurst is buried in the Bottesford (St Peter Ad Vincula) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
FS Whimpey despite being badly shocked, was one of the first to enter the burning fuselage and begin the task of pulling bodies from the wreckage. For his courage he was awarded the British Empire Medal, but by the time this honour was gazetted, he had perished in action with 463 Sqn, along with FS Dowling.