Keith Elliott

Infobox Military Person
name=Keith Elliott
lived=Birth date|1916|04|25–death date and age|1989|07|10|1916|04|25
placeofbirth=Apiti, New Zealand
placeofdeath=Wellington, New Zealand


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=New Zealand
branch=New Zealand Army
serviceyears=
rank=
commands=
unit=22nd Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
battles=World War II: Balkans Campaign, North African Campaign
awards=Victoria Cross
relations=
laterwork=Anglican priest

Keith Elliott VC (25 April 1916 – 7 October, 1989) was a New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 26 years old, and a Sergeant in the 22nd Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the Second World War when he performed the deed that gained him the Victoria Cross.

Battle at Ruweisat

Front row, Sg. J.D. Hinton, Lt. K. Elliott, Cpt. C.H. Upham, Sg. A.C. Hulme, Cpt. S. Frickleton, Lt. J.G. Grant] On 15 July 1942 at Ruweisat, Western Desert, Egypt, Sergeant Elliott, while leading his platoon in an attack under heavy machine-gun and mortar fire, was wounded in the chest. Nevertheless, he carried on and led his men in a bayonet charge which resulted in the capture of four enemy machine-gun posts and an anti-tank gun. Seven of the enemy were killed and 50 taken prisoner. In spite of his wounds Sergeant Elliott refused to leave his platoon until he had reformed them and handed over the prisoners, the number of which had by then increased to 130.

His Victoria Cross was displayed at the QEII Army Memorial Museum at Waiouru, New Zealand. On Sunday 2 December2007 it was one of nine Victoria Crosses that were among a hundred medals stolen from the museum. [cite web|author=Derek Cheng|title=Army medal theft 'insult' to our nation's heritage |publisher=nzherald|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10479634|date=December 2007|accessdate=2007-12-02] On 16 February 2008 New Zealand Police announced all the medals had been recovered as a result of a NZ$300,000 reward offered by Michael Ashcroft and Tom Sturgess. [ [http://police.govt.nz/news/release/3701.html Stolen War Medals Recovered] ]

References

*cite web |url=http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/op-valour/elliott.pdf |title=Keith Elliott, VC |accessdate=2007-12-12 |format=PDF |work=New Zealand Defence Force

External links

* [http://www.ozemail.com.au/~vcweb/winners/nz_winners/elliott.htm Elliott K.]
* [http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/aaholder.htm#Elliott Sergeant Keith Elliott]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/7572/nzvcross.txt New Zealand Troops who have won the Victoria Cross] "(brief biography details)"