The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Ellis
First Name:
Ronald Edward
Nick Name:
Ron
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX13079
Company:
'D' Company, 16 Platoon
Enlisted:
17.05.1941
DOB:
2.11.1922
Place of Birth:
Wagin, Western Australia
Father's Name:
George Christie Ellis
Mothers's Name:
Olive Ellen Ellis (nee King)
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Fitter’s Assistant
Memorial:
Kranji War Cemetery, Plot 3, Row C, Grave 19, Age 21.
Cause of Death:
Died of Wounds. Wounded in action 10/1/1942. Soldier received a gunshot wound to his right arm and shrapnel wound to his chest. Admitted to 2/13th Australian General Hospital in a badly shocked state, where an amputation of his arm, 2 inches below the shoulder joint was conducted.
Place of Death:
2/13th A.G.H. at St Patricks School
Date of Death:
11.02.1942
Buried:
Martia Road Military Cemetery, Katong, Protestant Section, Grave No 6.

General Description

Ron had previously enlisted with 25th Light Horse.
Ron Ellis was actually born 17 May 1922 and not 1920 as recorded on his AIF enlistment information May 1941. (His brother Charles was born 1920).   Ellis obviously increased his age to ensure his application was successful. He was selected at Northam as one of 246 reinforcments for 2/4tth MGB.  Ron joined 2/4th’s ‘D’ Company 16 Platoon as one of three reinforcements.

Please read about 16 Platoon

 

Above: Ron Ellis taken at his half-sister Ellen Rose McQuade’s House in Bassendean.

 

Above: Ron Ellis

Below:  Ron is home on leave.

 

Please read story of Ron’s bravery at Singapore

 

Ron Ellis was one of 6 children born to George Christie Ellis and Olive Ellen King of Wagin.  (Olive Ellen was formerly married to John William ‘Jack’ McQuade who d. 1914
Wagin).  George and Olive married 1917 Katanning. They had six sons and two daughters Olive Edith (m. William James ‘Bill’ O’Brien) She died Wagin 2008.   Mary Isobel (died Boddington 2003) m. Harry James English.

Charles Alfred died Kerang, Victoria 2005.

Leonard Alfred d. Carnarvon 2000.

Brice Hal d. Busselton 2021. 

Dennis Roy d. Wagin 2022

Below:  May 1940 Boxing Carnival Wagin – Ron and 2/4th’s Ron McCracken are participants.  Boxing was a popular sport at that time.

Below:  An improve version of the above – 1940 Ellis wins.

 

Young Christopher William (Bill) Ellis died 1949 Wagin aged 14 years – admitted to hospital with appendicitis.  Peritonitis developed.

 

Ron was 19 1/2 years old when he enlisted 17th May 1941 – he  recorded his birth year as 1920 on his enlistment details, when in fact he was born in 1922. He was one of 246  Reinforcements who sailed Aquitania to Singapore.  He was one of three reinforcements to join  ‘D’ Company No 16 Platoon.  Please read about 16 Platoon.
Ron was severely wounded in action on 10.2.1942. He received a gunshot wound to his right arm and shrapnel wound to his chest. Admitted to 2/13th Australian General Hospital in a badly shocked state, he underwent an amputation of his arm, 2 inches below the shoulder joint  Tragically Ron died the following day on 11 Feb 1942.

 

EPSON MFP image
Ronald Ellis Ellis – Kranji War Cemetery.

 

 

Late  Pte. RON ELLIS, No. 16 Platoon

Heroism at Singapore 

An interesting letter has been received by Mrs. G. Ellis, of Wagin containing news of her late son, Pte. Ron Ellis, who was recently reported as having died of wounds at Singapore.
The Letter comes from a very reliable source, and having seen the original for ourselves, we can vouch for its authenticity. However, as permission has not been given by the writer to publish her name, we will not disclose the source of the information. The letter is sufficient to show that Ronny Ellis, during his tragically short period of actual service, proved himself to be a real Australian soldier, with everything that it takes to be a hero!
Efforts are now being made by local Authorities to see that the action of the late Pte. Ellis, in rescuing an officer under heavy enemy fire is reported to and recognised by the Military Authorities.
The letter received by Mrs. Ellis reads as follows: –
‘Dear Mrs. Ellis,
You will no doubt be very surprised to receive this letter from a stranger, but as my brother fell in the same battle as your son Ronald, and I have been able to gain some details – particularly in relation to your boy – I am taking the liberty of writing this to you in the confidence that it will bring you pride and some consolation. I feel sure that you will want to know all that can be found out, as much as I have wished to learn about my brother’s death, but without success.
The news I have for you was given me by a Corporal of the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, who escaped from Singapore near the end of the battle, and has been back in Perth some three weeks. I, of course was anxious to learn if he knew anything of my brother, but, unfortunately, as they had been in different Companies, they were unknown to one another. However your son Ronald was known to the Corporal, and I am glad to be able to tell you that your son’s courage and devotion to duty were all that anyone could hope.
In the Cpl.’s own words, “Ronnie saved my life”.
As related to me, it appears that about a dozen men were endeavouring to carry out a retirement, when they found that they were caught on three sides by Japanese troops and were consequently forced to swim a river to escape. Discarding all equipment, they entered the water and endeavoured to reach the opposite bank. All succeeded in doing so except the Corporal, who is a bad swimmer and he got into great difficulties in midstream. Thereupon, your son returned to him and assisted him to the far bank, all the time under dangerous fire from the enemy. It was a great example of absolute unselfishness and fearlessness and, I am sure will be a source of great pride to you.
The above occurred on Monday, February 9th and the Corporal was with your son until Wednesday the 11th, when they lost touch with one another. I understand that it was on the next day that your son was reported to have died. Please accept my sincere sympathy in your sad loss, and I know that you will understand that I can enter fully into your feeling of sorrow and loss, as my brother fell on the next day and I did truly love my brother ________
Yours sincerely, _______________

The only 2/4th soldier to escape Singapore fighting and return to Australia was Cpl Arthur Rowland.  He managed to reach Sumatra and board a ship departing for Ceylon prior to the Japanese taking control of Sumatra.  Rowland returned from Ceylon to Australia.
Platoon Sergeant: WX17293 Cpl Arthur John Charles ROWLAND -enl. Oct 1941, Reinforcemnt to 2/4th joining ‘E Coy SRB No. 1 Platoon.  Cpl Rowland was 2 I/C to CO Lt Green KIA ambush SW Bukit Timah.
Rowland received GSW Rt thigh 11 Feb 1942, listed MIA. Escaped Sumatra. Ship to Colombo, Ceylon. Returned Melbourne 6 Apr 1942. TOS Northam with 2/3rd MGB & joined 1st Australian Machine Gun Training Coy 6 Aug 1944.
It is highly probably Ellis and Rowland knew each other at Northam or on Aquitania. While the 2/4th Platoons were retreating from the front lines, the Platoons would have met up.

Ellis Ronald Edward Feb 1943

Ellis Ron, West Australian Feb 1943
Ellis Ron, West Australian Feb 1943

 

Below:  Joe Ellis died Dec 1948. He is uncle to Ron and the brother of George Christie Ellis.

Below:  Ron’s young brother William Ellis died in 1949.

Below:  Grandmother to Ellis, Mary Ann Ellis  died 1950.  She was mother to George Christie Ellis. George’s brother Arthur Ellis d. WW1 France 1916.

 

Please read about Ron McCracken recorded on the Wagin WW2 War Memorial.

 

 

George Christie Ellis died Wagin1960. Olive Ellen Ellis (nee King) died Wagin 1985.

 

KING FAMILY CONNECTIONS

Emanuel Joaquin KING m. 18 Jul 1874 Lilliput, Victoria to Rachel Ann GEDING.

They had a family of 14 children.  Three of those children are:

  1. Emanuel Victor KING b.29 Jun 1883 Rutherglen, Victoria. d. 3 Oct 1976 Perth. He married Helen Edith KELLY.
Their daughter Sylvia Madeline KING b.25 July 1919 m. 7 Feb 1940 Wagin to WX8540 Thomas William GREEN enlisted Oct 1940, Green was a Driver with No. 3 Platoon  2/4th MGB.  He was AWOL at Fremantle missed boarding ‘Aquitania’ 16 Feb 1942 when she sailed for Singapore. Green was sent to Singapore from Java withA’ Force Burma Java Party No. 4, Black Force.  Green remained behind when this Force departed for Burma, Tom was obviously ill.  He was transported to Kuching from Singapore and joined ‘E’ Force at Sandakan. Tommy Green d. Sandakan 22 Jan 1945.

Below:  Green

 

  1. Harriet Agnes KING B. 19 JUL 1889 Rutherglen, Victoria m. Katanning to Francis Phillip Daniel QUINN.
Their son WX9285 Cecil George QUINN b. Wagin Jul 1905. Enlisted ‘D’ Coy 13 Platoon 2/4th  Quinn was wounded Lim Chu Kang Road on 9 Feb 1942 and then again 11 Feb 1942 with shrapnel wound to left foot.   Miraculously Quinn managed to escape (with 2 2/4th boys) to Sumatra where he was taken POW of Japan. He worked with Atjeh Party in north Sumatra.  Then was transported to work on Sumatran Railway where work conditions were brutal and finally no food for the POWs or Japanese.  The Australian POWs were airlifted out of Sumatra on Duke Gloucester’s aircraft.  Quinn returned to Fremantle aboard Highland Chieftan.  Several other WA 2/4th former POWs from Sumatra were flown to Perth because their health was so frail.

Below:  Quinn

 

  1. Olive Ellen KING b. 5 Feb 1895 Rutherglenn, Victoria m.1911 Katanning to George Christopher ELLIS of Wagin.
  • Their son WX13079 Ronald Edward ELLIS – DOW Singapore 11 Feb 1942. Ellis was reinforcement with ‘D’ Coy 16 Platoon, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion.

 

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