John Ellis

John Ellis (28 February 1917 – 19 November 2001) was a British flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with at least 13 aerial victories. Born in Deal, Ellis joined the RAF in 1936 and in the prewar period served with No. 213 Squadron. Once war broke out, he was transferred to No. 610 Squadron, of the Auxiliary Air Force. He flew extensively during the aerial fighting over Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo and in the subsequent Battle of Britain, destroying a number of aircraft. The following year, he took up an instructing post, initially in the United Kingdom and later in East Africa. He returned to operations as a wing leader based at Krendi on the island of Malta and flying missions in the lead up to the Allied invasion of Sicily. Shot down on 13 June 1943, he spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of the Germans. He continued to serve in the RAF during the postwar period, holding a series of administrative and training posts and also commanding the RAF station at Molesworth for a time. Made an officer in the Order of the British Empire in May 1956, he was elevated to a Commander in the order four years later. He retired from the RAF in 1967 as a group captain. He was a businessman until his retirement. He died in 2001 aged 83. Early life John Ellis was born in the Kentish town of Deal on 28 February 1917. After completing his education, at Sutton Valence School, in March 1936 he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF). Granted a commission as an acting pilot officer in May, after completing flight training at No. 11 Flying Training School at Wittering, he was briefly posted to No. 66 Squadron before being transferred in March 1937 to No. 213 Squadron. By this time he had been confirmed in his rank as pilot officer. His new squadron had just been reformed at Northolt with Gloster Gauntlet fighters but from July it was based at Church Fenton as part of No. 12 Group. In January 1939, the squadron began reequipping with Hawker Hurricane fighters.