ELLIOTT, Harry Bertram

NAME                    ELLIOTT           Harry Bertram
RANK                    Flying Officer / Bombardier          14678                                                                                                                      Group 91     RAF Bomber Command                                                                              SQUADRON         No. 22 Operational Training Unit
                              Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield in Warwickshire
                              Squadron Markings DD LT OX XN                                                                                          Born                       November 27, 1919 - Blyth - East Wawanosh/Morris Townships - County of Huron      Residence             Blyth                                                                                                                                        Died                       April 19, 1943                                                                                                                      Cemetery              Cirencester Cemetery - Cirencester – Gloucestershire - England
                              NC C 14
Parents                 Mr. John and Ada Elliott – Blyth                                                                                        Brothers                Sub Lieutenenat W. A. Elliot - Halifax - Royal Canadian Navy                                                                                   Gordon and Frank lived in Blyth                                                                                            Sister                    Mrs. Gertrude Wettlaufer - Blyth

Harry was born on November 27, 1919 in Blyth and as he grew up he played hockey for the Central Clinton Juniors, soccer, baseball along with tennis. His hobby was stamp collecting. The Elliott family belonged to the Blyth United Church. He received his public schooling at the Blyth Continuation School 1925-34 and he attended Clinton High School and got his Junior Matriculation 1934-38 and his Senior Matriculation 1938-39. Following school he was employed with Northern Express Gold Mines at Beardmore - Ontario 1939-July 14, 1941.

Canada

In July 1941 Harry left his job in northern Ontario and travelled to London and on July 14 he enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force with the rank of Aircraftsman 2. He was 5' 7" tall and weighed 130 pounds. He had a medium complexion with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. He was then sent to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto and after a few days was posted to No. 1 Initial Training School also in Toronto. At the end of August he was posted to No. 5 Service Flying Training School in Brantford.                                                                                    In the middle of March 1942 he left No. 5 SFTS and was again posted to No. 1 Initial Training School in Toronto. He was 8 in a class of 19 and received an average of 88%. Here he earned the rank of Leading Aircraftsman. He was here until May 23 when he was posted to No. 1 Air Observer School in Malton. His next posting was on June 7 when he was posted to No. 8 Air Observer School in L'Ancienne-Lorette in Quebec and he achieved the rank of Sergeant and then Pilot Officer. He placed 9 in a class of 25 and had a 79% average. He also received his Air Navigation Badge. On October 17 Pilot Officer Elliott was posted to the east coast to No. 1 "Y" Embarkation Depot in Halifax. Less than a week later he transferred to the RAF Training Pool.   

Overseas

Pilot Officer Elliott embarked from Halifax and Canada on October 28 and he arrived and disembarked in the United Kingdom on November 5. He then reported for duty at Bournemouth - Dorset to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre.                                                                                                                                                      On January 5, 1943 he was posted to No. 6 Advanced Observer School. On March 22 he was assigned and posted to No. 22 Operational Training Unit. On April 2 he received the rank of Flying Officer No. 22 OTU was where crews were trained for night bombing missions using the Wellington medium bomber. On April 19, 1943, Wellington Mk III DF 743 crashed at the Staple Farm1 ½ miles west of Withington in Gloucestershire and this was approximately 40 miles from Wellesbourne Mountford. There was no navigational error in this crash. The weather was cloudy and the ceiling was 1,200 feet with 4 miles of visibility. The aircraft had been airborne for 10 minutes.
The pilot could have lost control while flying with instruments in the cloud. At the time of the crash this aircraft weighed what it would have weighed on a mission. This was a war load flight to Stert Flats which are tidal flats in Somerset. The pilot had been instructed not to break cloud and the pilot ignored these orders and broke cloud and did not know where he was OR the pilot lost control of the aircraft while instrument flying in cloud . At approximately 10:44 hours this aircraft emerged from the cloud cover, crashed and exploded upon impact.
F/O Elliott suffered severe and fatal multiple injuries. He was buried with full military honours on April 22.

During the month of July 1944 his mother Ada received the Memorial Cross, At a later date the family received the medals awarded to Harry and these were the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.

Harry is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of Blyth United church, on the Memorial Plaque of Clinton Collegiate, on the Memorial Plaque at the RCAF Bomber Command Memorial, on the Memorial Plaque in the Blyth Memorial Hall, in the Books of Remembrance located in the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.