Pte
Cyril Patrick Elliott
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1893 |
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Place of birth: Cowra, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Yass, New South Wales, Australia |
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Profession: Locomotive fireman |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 3142 |
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Enlistment date: 29/08/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 35th Bn. (Newcastle's Own Regiment) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 05/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Potsdam, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 24 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 25 B |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Cyril Elliott was born in 1893 in Cowra, New South Wales, the son of Alexander Patrick and Myra Elliott (nee Robertson). He had four brothers and two sisters. Patrick enlisted at Goulborn, New South Wales in August 1916. At that time, the 23-year-old was living in Yass, New South Wales and working as a railway fireman, a stoker on a locomotive. Cyril embarked for England on 11 November 1916. He finished his training with the 62nd Battalion on Salisbury Plain. The 62nd Battalion then went overseas to reinforce the 3rd Australian Division. Almost exactly a year after his enlistment, Cyril was deployed to the Western Front in late August 1917. On 1 September, he was assigned to the Australian Infantry, 35th Battalion (Newcastle's Own Regiment), part of the 9th Australian Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division.
When he was taken on by the 35th, the battalion enjoyed a few leisurely days and took part in a sporting competition held by the 9th Australian Infantry Brigade at Vaudringhem in northern France. The 35th Battalion won the mule race on 5 September and received the 1st prize for best field kitchen on the 15th. The rest of the days were filled with swimming and a concert. The carefree times quickly faded. Following an inspection by Field Marshal Haig on 22 September 1917, the 3rd Australian Division was moved to the front in Flanders. On 30 September, the 35th Battalion left the safety of their camp in Winnezeele, France, on motor buses. By the breaking of the next day, they had relieved the 13th King's Battalion (Liverpool Regiment) in the Zonnebeke sector, occupying positions between Bostin Farm and Hill 40, with their right flank resting on the Ypres-Roulers railway embankment. The 13th King's was not sad to leave the line. Hill 40, in front of the 35th Battalion, dominated the area and the King’s had suffered heavy losses from snipers, machine-gun fire and shelling. Cyril's Battalion held the line until they were relieved on the night of 4-5 October 1917. On 4 October, as the 1st and 2nd Australian divisions stormed the heights east of Zonnebeke, the positions of the 3rd Division were heavily shelled. In just four days, the battalion suffered 81 casualties, of which 18 were killed.
Private Cyril Patrick Elliott, just 24, was killed in action on 5 October 1917. According to Red Cross records, he was buried west of the Hanebeek, along the southern bank of the railway, near the former German stronghold of Potsdam. Cyril has no known grave today and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
When he was taken on by the 35th, the battalion enjoyed a few leisurely days and took part in a sporting competition held by the 9th Australian Infantry Brigade at Vaudringhem in northern France. The 35th Battalion won the mule race on 5 September and received the 1st prize for best field kitchen on the 15th. The rest of the days were filled with swimming and a concert. The carefree times quickly faded. Following an inspection by Field Marshal Haig on 22 September 1917, the 3rd Australian Division was moved to the front in Flanders. On 30 September, the 35th Battalion left the safety of their camp in Winnezeele, France, on motor buses. By the breaking of the next day, they had relieved the 13th King's Battalion (Liverpool Regiment) in the Zonnebeke sector, occupying positions between Bostin Farm and Hill 40, with their right flank resting on the Ypres-Roulers railway embankment. The 13th King's was not sad to leave the line. Hill 40, in front of the 35th Battalion, dominated the area and the King’s had suffered heavy losses from snipers, machine-gun fire and shelling. Cyril's Battalion held the line until they were relieved on the night of 4-5 October 1917. On 4 October, as the 1st and 2nd Australian divisions stormed the heights east of Zonnebeke, the positions of the 3rd Division were heavily shelled. In just four days, the battalion suffered 81 casualties, of which 18 were killed.
Private Cyril Patrick Elliott, just 24, was killed in action on 5 October 1917. According to Red Cross records, he was buried west of the Hanebeek, along the southern bank of the railway, near the former German stronghold of Potsdam. Cyril has no known grave today and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
Sources 6
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13 Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 95/1429/2). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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35th Infantry Battalion (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/52). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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9th Infantry Brigade (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/9/12). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1064166). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/923356 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7429437 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=b304791d-53e6-44b8-9c9a-a723b00c9abd |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=90381 |