Ellis, Harold
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Harold |
Surname | Ellis |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-01-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of John Ellis and Sarah Anna Ellis (née Thompson), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster II |
Serial Number | DS686 |
Markings | OW-D |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 250. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 160 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/86193 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 426 (Thunderbird) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Hall, Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with Inscribed Metal Plaque & Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | In memory of the Canadian aircrew of 425 and 426 Sqns RCAF who served at RAF Dishforth, 1942-1945 |
Location | Outside Village Hall, Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Slate Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of Canadian personnel who served at RAF Linton on Ouse during WW2, including 408 and 426 Sqns RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
Harold was born on 7 August 1920 at Toronto, Ontario. Both parents were born in England where they married in Derbyshire in 1918 and his father worked in the Civil Service in the Department of Public Works. (Anna sometimes shown as Ann). Harold was a Draughtsman. He had a sister Norma and two brothers: Walter James and George. Walter is shown as being in the navy. The schools he attended were Hodgson, 1926-1934 and then Northern Vocational 1934-1935 (Industrial). Harold also attended their Night School classes 1937-1940 for draughting and maths (all in Toronto). His sport interests were camping and hiking, ice skating and swimming, his hobby mechanics, aircraft and Boy Scouts. Harold worked in a warehouse as a general clerk between 1935-1940, as a Progress clerk 1940-1941 at Canada General Electric, Toronto, and then Tracing and Drafting at National Steel 1941-1941 after which he enlisted. |
After enlisting on 29 October 1941 and early training, he embarked from New York on 4 May 1943 bound for the U.K. He arrived at 3PRC on 12 May 1943 then proceeded to 23 OTU on 18 May, 1659 CU 11 August 1943 and 426 Squadron on 28 September 1943. It was from there that Harold was to lose his life on 27 January 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1842/2 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1842/1 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 27-01-1944 |
End Date | 28-01-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Linton-on-Ouse |
Day/Night Raid | Night (8% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 530 aircraft, 33 losses- all Lancasters (6.4%). The German fighters were particularly early joining this stream on this raid- many joining some 75 miles off the Dutch coast The diversionary raids were somewhat successful in luring the fighters away, particularly the Heligoland mining raid. As had now become the norm, Berlin was cloud-covered and sky-marking had to be used, Local reports stated that bombing was spread over a wide area, including smaller towns and village in the outskirts. 20000 people were bombed out and 50 industrial premises hit, including several that were important to war production. 56 people were killed |
Reason for Loss |