George Victor Elliott

ELLIOTT, George Victor

War
2nd Word War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
London, Ontario
Regimental Number
440164
Rank
Lieutenant
Date of Death
Age at Death
32 years
Biographical Summary

Name:          ELLIOTT          George Victor
Rank:           Lieutenant        440164                                                                                                                                              1st Canadian Army - 2nd Canadian Infantry Division - 6th Infantry Brigade                            Regiment:    South Saskatchewan Regiment
                    “strength, spirit and renown”
                    Royal Canadian Infantry Corp                                                                                                Residence:  Goderich - Ontario                                                                                                                            Birth:            August 28, 1912 - Goderich - County of Huron - Ontario                                                                Died:            September 15, 1944     32 years 
Cemetery:    Coxyde Military Cemetery - Koksijde - De Penne - West-Vlaanderen - Belgium
                    I     A      7
Wife:            Mrs. Sarah Mabel Elliott - Goderich and St Thomas - Ontario
Parents:       Mr. Lewis and Elizabeth Elliott - Goderich

George was born in Goderich on August 28, 1912 and growing up in Goderich he lived on East Street. He is remembered as being an avid golfer and was often seen practicing on the lawn. His occupation at the time he enlisted was that of a bookkeeper and he was the plant manager with Shell Oil in Goderich. He had served in the Militia with the 1st Battalion - Middlesex and Huron Regiment. 

Canada

He was Taken on Strength On October 1, 1942 with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant at the London Military Training - Ontario. On March 19, 1943 he was posted to No. 30 Officer Training Centre - Brockville. On June 19th he was posted to No. 29 Canadian Infantry Training Centre  - Camp Ipperwash. One month later he is posted to No. 13 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre - Listowel and while he is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.                  On July 26th, 1943 he is posted to No. 9 Canadian Army Mobile Mechanical School in London. He then enlisted on August 27 and enlisted into the Canadian Army. On October 1 and upon enlistment he stood 5' 4" and he weighed 144 pounds. He had a ruddy complexion with brown eyes and medium brown hair. He had worked very hard to get into the Canadian because he had lost an eye in a skating accident On November 16th he went back to No. 29 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Ipperwash. He then went to No. 30 Officer Training Centre - Refresher Wing at Brockville on November 19th. On December 30th he was granted 7 days special leave plus furlough.

Overseas

On January 13, 1944 he is on transfer to the 1st Canadian Brigade Group stationed at Debert - Nova Scotia. He departed Canada on March 5, 1944 and that day was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada. On March 7th he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas posted to No. 2 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. Private Elliott arrived in the UK and disembarked on March 14, 1944 and a day later he reported for duty. Then on April 16th he is posted to No. 5 Canadian Combat Training School. On May 27th he is posted to No. 1 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. On June 11, 1944 was when Private Elliott had leaned of the birth of his son Joseph.

In the Field

He embarked from the United Kingdom on September 1st and arrived in Normandy on the continent on September 2nd. Six days later he Was Taken on Strength with the South Saskatchewan Regiment.
The 6th Brigade of which the South Saskatchewan Regiment was part of occupied Furnes, Nieuport and La Panre and here they received much valuable information from the Belgian resistance about the German strength, his defences and the location of enemy minefields.The 6th Brigade attacked Bray Dures / Bray Dures Plague and finally cleared them on the September 15, 1944.
The South Saskatchewans had to cross a mile of sand dunes in single file, and as they moved forward they
were being shelled by large enemy guns located in Dunkirk. The sand dunes were also laced with mines and
carefully sited machine gun positions and casualties were taken here. These machine gun positions were
connected to the heavy guns by means of tunnels. The initial attack failed, but a second attack succeeded in
breaching the outlying defences. They then tried to advance again but were forced back to their start line.
The regiment was able to move 500 men across the dunes. During the night of September 14/15 “C, D, B & A” Companies moved forward and through the sand dunes to relieve the Camerons who were pinned down. During the time in the dunes “B & A” Companies lost contact with the other Companies as they advanced.
• Contact was re-established and at 06:00 on September 15th and all Companies attacked Bray Dunes Plaque. “D” Company was able to eliminate a pillbox where there was a working 75mm gun and was able to establish a firm base while the remaining Companies continued their attack.
There were casualties from the German wooden shoe land mines. The town had fallen and by 3 pm the town
was cleaned up and as the South Sasaktchewans moved to the east and after covering about 200 yards they
came under fire from German machine guns, rifles and mortars. The advance to Dunkirk was stopped for a
while because of this heavy German fire. At 20:30 the Camerons had been reached and relieved.
Lieutenant Elliott lost his life when he was felled by a German sniper at some point during this day of battle.

Joseph Elliott who is the son of Private Elliott presently lives in Waterloo - Ontario and was just three months old when his father fell in battle. 

In January 1945 his wife Sarah and his mother Elizabeth received the Memorial Cross. Lieutenant Elliott was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France Germany Star, the War Medal along with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.  

George is honoured and remembered on the Goderich - Ontario Cenotaph. He would be honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of Goderich High School. He is honoured and remembered in the Virtual Canadian War Memorial. He is also honoured and remembered on the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial.