Vet of the Month: Reg.#12626, Cst. H.C. 'Duff' Ellis

 Vet of the Month: Reg.#12626 Cst. H.C. 'Duff' Ellis

February, 2010

Reg. #12626, Cst. 'Duff' Ellis was born in 1911. He served from June 1935 to March 1936 with the RCMP at Weyburn and Regina in 'F' Div.

After his short stint with the RCMP, 'Duff' turned to coal mining. At the outbreak of WWII, 'Duff' joined the RCAF but he had to leave pilot training because of hearing problems. With an onging hope to serve Canada, 'Duff' Ellis became a police officer again but this time with the RCAF Service Police. He held the rank of Corporal with Service #R142087.

'Duff' Ellis was wounded by a German bomb dropped on London on February 23, 1944. He received serious injuries as a result of the raid. A month later, 'Duff' died on the operating table while doctors were trying to remove shrapnel from his body.

RCAF Corporal Herbert Clarence 'Duff' Ellis of Bienfait died on March 30, 1944.

A Geographical Memorial (lake) was named after RCMP and RCAF 'Duff' Ellis. The Memorial Lake is north of Wapawekka Lake and east of La Ronge, Saskatchewan (73P1) 55˚05’ 104˚29’).

'Duff' Ellis is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery near London, England.

Duty comes first. Thus, 'Duff' deserves to be our February, 2010 Vet of the Month.


Our thanks to Vet. AJH 'Joe' Collinson, Edmonton, AB