ELLIOTT, Harold Alexander

NAME                     ELLIOT           Harold Alexander
RANK                     Warrant Officer 1st           68262                                                                                                                                 No. 224 Group     Bomber Command     South East Asia Command                                          SQUADRON          RAF No. 34 
                               “wolf whistles, wolf flies”
                               Ondal Airfield in India
                               Squadron markings EGR                                                                                                      Born                       December 2, 1918 - Oil Springs -  Township of Enniskillen - County of Lambton - Ontario          Residence              Exeter - Ontario                                                                                                                            Died                       November 10, 1942          23 years   11 months
Memorial                Singapore Memorial located in Kranji War Cemetery - Singapore                                                                             Panel 419                                                                                                                          Parents                  Mr.  Alexander and Verna Elliot - Exeter.                                                                              Brothers                 Mr. Howard Elliot - Exeter                                                                                                  Sisters                   Miss Jean and Marion Elliot - Exeter                                                                                                                          Mrs. Hazel Snider - Arnprior - Ontario

Harold was born in Oil Springs on December 2, 1918. He was raised United and the family would have attended the United Church in Oil Springs and after their move to Exeter would have attended Exeter United Church. He attended Petrolia Public School 1923-34 and Exeter High School 1934-37. As he grew up he enjoyed playing badminton and baseball. Prior to his enlistment he was employed by his father as a car salesman 1937-40. His father owned the Ford dealership in Exeter

Canada

On August 12, 1940 Harold travelled the 30 miles to London and enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force and received the rank of Aircraftsmen 2. At that time he stood 6' 1" and weighed 158 pounds. He had a fair complexion with brown eyes and brown hair. He was then assigned to Brandon - Manitoba to No. 2 Manning Depot. His next posting took place on October 13 when he was posted to No. 2 Wireless School in Calgary - Alberta. On December 10 his next posting took him to No. 2 Initial Training School in Regina - Saskatchewan and while there received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman. His average was 73% and he placed 46 in a class of 148. On January 16, 1941 In the middle of the month it was on to Prince Albert to No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School and here he achieved a 76% average and placed 16 in a class of 33. Early in March he went back to No. 2 Manning Depot in Brandon - Manitoba. On March 18 his next move was to No. 4 Service Flying Training School in Saskatoon - Saskatchewan. While here he received his Flying Badge along with the rank of Sergeant. On July 5 he went to the east coast to Halifax at No. 1 "M" Depot and shortly after that he was at the "Y" Depot and it was here he volunteered for the RAF Training Pool.

Overseas

Sergeant Elliot embarked from Halifax bound for overseas on July 26 and he disembarked in the United Kingdom on August 15 and the next day he went to Bournemouth - Dorset to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre. His first posting overseas was on August 23 to No. 13 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Bicester - Oxfordshire and the Blenheim aircraft training would take place here. On December 5 he was assigned to RAF Middle East Command based in Alexandria - Egypt. At some point in December he was posted to the RAF Far East Air Force and posted to Singapore in December 1941.                                                                              While in Singapore he received the rank of Flight Sergeant on February 1, 1942. The Battle of Singapore was February 8-15. He was on the last boat to leave Singapore before it fell to the Japanese. He was at Palenbang _ Sumatra when it fell to the Japanese February 13-15. From Sumatra it was on to Java. In Java his aircraft went down into the jungle, and he had to fight his way out. He was suffering from thirst and from hunger but was fortunate enough to make it to Ceylon and from there to Karachi, India in April 1942. He spent 6 weeks recuperating in the Himalayan Mountains. on April 1 he was awarded the rank of Warrant Officer. On April 23 he was posted to RAF No. 34 Squadron which at this time was flying Bristol Blenheim Mk IV aircraft. At this time the Squadron was flying out of RAF Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) - India. In June the Squadron moved to Ondal in West Bengal.

In the Field

On November 10, 1942 in the morning before the start of his mission Warrant Officer Elliot sent his mother a cablegram wishing her a happy birthday. He lifted off the runway at 10:42 hours and his Bleinheim Mk IV aircraft  Z 7705 H was shot down in flames and fell into the sea about 8 miles northwest of Ankyb in Burma at 14:40 hours.  After the aircraft was shot down and crashed the entire crew was seen swimming near their downed aircraft. There were other aircraft from 50 Squadron and 113 Squadron as well. Following his mission, photo reconnaissance showed that one of the two Japanese merchant vessel moored at the Burmese docks was sunk and it was during this mission that Warrant Officer Elliot lost his life.

During the month of February 1945 Warrant Officer Elliot's mother received the Memorial Cross. Then, in June of 1946 his parents received the medals awarded to their son which included the 1939-45 Star, the Pacific Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.

Harold is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaques of Oil Springs and Exeter and on the Memorial Plaque of Exeter High School. He is also honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of the Canadian Bomber Command Memorial and in the Books of Remembrance located in the Centre Block of the Canadian Parliament. In addition he is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial