LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Reginald Arthur ELLIS
Service No: 416554
Born: Largs Bay SA, 31 May 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 July 1941
Unit: No. 104 Squadron (RAF), Hani West Landing Ground, Tunisia
Died: Air Operations (No. 104 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE613), Central Mediterranean, 8 August 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edgar Marshall Ellis and Mabel Edith Ellis, of Cheltenham, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 11, Column 2, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Wellington HE613 of 104 Squadron took off from Hani West Landing Ground at night on 7 August 1943 to attack Cape Palmi, Italy. Cape Palmi is on the south west coast of Italy approximately 30 kms north east of Reggio. The aircraft failed to return from this mission. Following post war investigations, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of HE613 were:
Sergeant William John Barriskill (1126133) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Kenneth Frank Bristow (658662) (Second Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Reginald Arthur Ellis (416554) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Frederick Glyndwr Holmes (1315697) (RAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Daryl Hamilton Smith (411953) (Pilot)
Sergeant Richard Samuel Veale (421140) (Navigator)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705,166/11/64