Samuel James Elliott
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Samuel James Elliott was born in 1894 at Worksop he was the son of William Elliott, a corn mill engineer, who appears to have been engaged in a series of short term contracts both at home and abroad and Emma Jane Elliott née Wheatley of 67 Nelson Street, Whittington Moor, Chesterfield. William was born in 1858 at Clay Lane, Derbyshire, Emma Jane Wheatley was born in 1859 at Sheffield, they were married in 1881 at Worksop and went on to have 8 children. In the 1911 census the family are living at 10 Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, Emma Jane is shown as head of the family she is married 52 yrs of age and living with her children, Samuel James 17 yrs an apprentice plumber, Clifford Ernest 15 yrs an apprentice tool make and Albert Edward 3 yrs of age. By 1914 the family lived in Coventry, where Samuel earned his living as a plumber. William and Jane Elliott later lived at 67 Nelson Street Whittington Moor Chesterfield.
Private Samuel James Elliott was one of the early volunteers signing up for the Royal Garrison Artillery on 29 October 1914 at Coventry, giving his age as 20 yrs, 220 days, he was a painter living at 23 Highland Road, Earlsdon, Coventry, He was a fine fit young man standing at over 5’ 10”posted as a gunner to the Royal Garrison Artillery. The RGA was equipped with heavy Howitzers which fired large calibre shells in high trajectory. Gunner Elliot landed with the 29th Division in late April or early May 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsular and, by the time of Samuel’s death in action on 17 May, the British and their French allies were preparing for their third Battle of Krithia. Apart from a small ANZAC area the allies only occupied the tip of Helles Peninsular, an area 1.5 miles by 1.75 mile, containing some 40,000 men or more in appalling conditions and meaning that the whole force was always in range of Turkish gun fire. Samuel was reported in being killed in action on 17 May and like so many others at Gallipoli has no known grave and so is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at the tip of the peninsular. Research by Robert Illett
additional research and information Peter Gillings
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