Ellis, Wilfred

No.22243 – Corporal Wilfred Ellis – 23^rd Howitzer Brigade

Wilfred Ellis was born in Halifax Yorkshire England in 1887 to William and Harriet Ellis. Th 1901 census still shows Wilfred living in Halifax with his family. Much of his early life is unknown but by 1911 he was still in Halifax and was now working as a Railway Porter. On the 23^rd May 1913 he travelled out to Western Australia aboard the Osterley where he then took up residence in George Street East Fremantle. Wilfred took up work as a fruiterer in the district. On the 11^th November 1915 he enlisted into the AIF. He was passed as fit and was found to be 5 feet 7 & ¾ inches tall; weight of 123 lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; fresh complexion; grey eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Congregationalist. Initially in No.37 Depot, Wilfred was assigned to the Artillery Reinforcements and headed to Victoria to continue his training.

At Maribynong Camp in Victoria Wilfred trained in the use of Artillery for the next several months. On the 20^th May 1916 he left Melbourne on the H.M.A.T. “Medic” with the artillery reinforcements. He arrived at Plymouth England on the 18^th July 1916. On the voyage Wilfred had held the temporary rank of Battery Sergeant Major but reverted to Corporal on reaching England. Wilfred was assigned to the 109^th Battery of the 23^rd Howitzer Brigade, however he was never to serve with them on the Western Front.

Not long after arriving in England Wilfred was diagnosed with tuberculosis on the lungs. He was treated in hospital but was put on a hospital ship on the 12^th November 1916 for return to Australia. Arriving back in WA Wilfred was admitted to No.8 AGH in Fremantle and in February 1917 was admitted to Wooroloo Hospital which specialised in TB. On the 10^th July 1917 he was officially discharged from the AIF. Wilfred received a pension of 68/- per fortnight but his condition steadily worsened and on the 8^th July 1918 he died at No.8 General Hospital in Fremantle.

Wilfred was given a military funeral and was buried in the Congregationalist Section of Fremantle Cemetery in plot D405.

In September 1918, his elder brother who had stayed in England, Corporal Austin Ellis DCM of the 1^st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment was killed in action In France. He is commemorated on panel 4 of the Vis-En-Artois Memorial.