RAF SEAAF Repatriation? Inscription tin chest

Discussion in 'WW2 Militaria' started by cagsy7, Jan 23, 2010.

  1. cagsy7

    cagsy7 Junior Member

    Hopefully I am posting in the right place

    I recently rescued an old tin chest from a car boot seller for a fiver and only bought it for, and was intrigued by the inscription on the side and top of the chest (my husband, as usual, thought I was mad, "why are you buying that?")

    Inscription reads:
    "REPAT
    From
    1670459 . LA. C ELLISON
    RAF SEAFF

    To
    15 Main Ave, Cowersley Lane, then looks like HUDDFLD, YORK, ENG
    The inscription is also very faintly on the top but has almost worn away

    I have (hopefully) attached a photo of the chest

    I realise that "Repat", would mean repatriation for maybe a servicemans belongings during or after WW2, by himself? or by the RAF if he was a casualty?. The SEAAF I know stands for South East Asian Air Force and I know that the RAF had bases in those areas

    Could anyone tell me anything more about the chest and who it may have belonged to? What would the LA stand for after the service number

    I did look at CWGC and found this entry:
    ELLISON, CECIL STANLEYInitials:C SNationality:United KingdomRank:Group CaptainRegiment/Service:Royal Air ForceDate of Death:17/10/1946Casualty Type:Commonwealth War DeadGrave/Memorial Reference:11. C. 6.Cemetery:KARACHI WAR CEMETERY

    Only a possible, maybe my chest belonged to another C Ellison who survived and was sending his own belongings home?

    Caryl
     

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  2. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Hi Caryl,

    The service number 1670459 was allocated in May 1918, and the officer you mention
    ELLISON, CECIL STANLEY was lost during the following incident.....

    17 October 1946

    3 Parachute Training School.
    Dakota IV KN236

    The aircraft was flying in circles in a valley at about 10000 feet above sea level when it struck the hillside and crashed 38 miles north of Chitral, India. The aircraft was overloaded and was operating at high level both factors contributing to the loss of control.

    11 fatalities.

    'Final Landings' - Cummings
     
  3. cagsy7

    cagsy7 Junior Member

    Peter

    Many thanks for your interesting reply. How sad! I was going to ask about service numbers. If this service number did belong to Group Captain Ellison, that would mean he served in WW1 and WW2 only to die in a training exercise post war.

    I'll investigate more. He appears to be the only Air Force personnel listed in the Debt of Honour for WW2 without a service number. Is there any way I could find out his service number? It may of course be another Ellison. Also, when were the SEAAF formed do you happen to know?

    Thanks again

    Caryl
     
  4. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    Hi Caryl,

    The service number 1670459 was allocated in May 1918, and the officer you mention
    ELLISON, CECIL STANLEY was lost during the following incident.....

    17 October 1946

    3 Parachute Training School.
    Dakota IV KN236

    The aircraft was flying in circles in a valley at about 10000 feet above sea level when it struck the hillside and crashed 38 miles north of Chitral, India. The aircraft was overloaded and was operating at high level both factors contributing to the loss of control.

    11 fatalities.

    'Final Landings' - Cummings

    Interesting to note that, assuming all casualties where buried in the same cemetery that only 6 are listed for the 17th Oct, including Ellison

    001 , CATHROW, RF, 70121, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAFO)
    002 , EDWARDS, G, 145061, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE
    003 , ELLISON, CS, -, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE
    004 , REEVE, NJW, 167304, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE
    005 , THORNE, LD, 197198, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE
    006 , WALL, RJ, 1593359, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE
     
  5. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Interesting to note that, assuming all casualties where buried in the same cemetery that only 6 are listed for the 17th Oct, including Ellison

    001 , CATHROW, RF, 70121, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAFO)
    002 , EDWARDS, G, 145061, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE
    003 , ELLISON, CS, -, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE
    004 , REEVE, NJW, 167304, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE
    005 , THORNE, LD, 197198, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE
    006 , WALL, RJ, 1593359, - , 17/10/1946, ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE



    Hi Phil,

    The above six are indeed listed as casualties of the loss of Dakota KN236 the other five losses were as follows.....

    Capt. Gopal Singh Grew Al (24)
    Sepoy. Nathu Ram (20)
    Niak. Apparao Panda Sharma (22) 2 Supply Coy RIASC
    Sepoy. Muhammad Din (30)
    Sepoy. Suraj Singh (38) 2 Supply Coy RIASC

    Their nationality probably explains why they were not all buried in the same cemetery.

    Maybe I should have posted the whole crew list.

    Regards
    Peter
     
  6. cagsy7

    cagsy7 Junior Member

    Just a thought but I know the term 'repatriation' was/is used to describe POW's being returned home as well as the return of the wounded, deceased and/or their belongings

    Was the term more commonly used back then to describe the return home of POW's at the end of WW2?

    Just wondered if I'm barking up several wrong trees?
    Also with the service number being issued during the latter part of WW1, could this have been a WW1 repatriation? Was the SEAFF in existence back then or was it not formed/named as such until WW2?

    Caryl
     
  7. Jo Ellison

    Jo Ellison New Member

    Hello
    What a surprise! Just started to research my Great Uncle for my sons school project on WW1 and I come upon your story about the chest!
    Great Uncle was Cecil Stanley Ellison, my grandfathers elder brother.
    Are you still on this forum? I'll wait and see!
    My sister and I are keen to find out his story as there is not anyone else around, we both have small bits of information and have already learnt more than we did know from your chat on this forum.
    Intrigued Jo Ellison
     
  8. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello Jo

    I have sent Cagsy a PM (Private message). If they have the same e-mail address as they did in 2010 they may get an alert to your posting.

    Lesley
     
  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    From Ancestry records:

    UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947 about Captain Cecil Stanley Ellison
    Name: Captain Cecil Stanley Ellison
    Death Date: 17 Oct 1946
    Cemetery: Karachi War Cemetery Pak 1
    Region or Memorial: Pakistan, Kashmir

    40465_291283-00018.jpg



    England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 about Cecil Stanley Ellison
    Name: Cecil Stanley Ellison
    Probate Date: 8 Sep 1947
    Death Date: 17 Oct 1946
    Death Place: Buckinghamshire, England
    Registry: Liverpool, England


    32858_636672_2408-00050.jpg


    England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 about Cecil Stanley Ellison
    Name: Cecil Stanley Ellison
    Registration Year: 1901
    Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
    Registration district: Eton
    Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
    Inferred County: Buckinghamshire
    Volume: 3a
    Page: 842


    1911 England Census about Cecil Ellison
    Name: Cecil Ellison
    Age in 1911: 9
    Estimated Birth Year: abt 1902
    Relation to Head: Son
    Gender: Male
    Birth Place: Buckinghamshire, England
    Civil Parish: Hitcham
    County/Island: Buckinghamshire
    Country: England
    Street address: The Nest Marsh Lane Hitcham Taplow, Bucks
    Marital Status: Single
    Registration district: Eton
    Registration District Number: 144
    Sub-registration district: Burnham
    ED, institution, or vessel: 7
    Household schedule number: 116
    Piece: 7856
    Household Members:
    Name Age
    Charles Ellison 37
    Mary Ellison 32
    Cecil Ellison 9
    Nancy Ellison 11m


    He also appears leaving London for Port Said, Egypt in 1937, he is noted as RAF, and his contact address is:
    The Guards Baat Club
    Maidenhead

    I have no idea at this time what that club is or was, perhaps some research on your part will answer that.

    TD
     
  10. NickFenton

    NickFenton Well-Known Member

    Guys,

    Taking you back to the top.

    Is it not LAC Ellison, not C Ellison. Do we know this is the same guy? No service number that ties in, how do we know it is the same guy?

    For Jo's sake, we should let this run about Cecil Stanley Ellison or put it into a new post but unless Jo tell's us that Cecil lived at 15 Main Ave, Cowersley Lane,HUDDFLD, YORK, ENG, l am not sure it is the same man.

    Regards,

    Nick
     
  11. Jo Ellison

    Jo Ellison New Member

    You guys are amazing! So much information!
    I guess it's matching up Uncle Cecil's service number with the number on the trunk which will clinch the deal. Whether it is his or not a journey has started which is exciting. All the birth details are spot on my grandparents managed the Guarfs Club and I think Cecil's parents before that. Thankyou I did not even know their first names. Jo
     
  12. NickFenton

    NickFenton Well-Known Member

    Jo,

    Does the address relate in anyway to your Great Uncle?

    Regards,

    Nick
     
  13. Jenny Ragg

    Jenny Ragg New Member

    I have just come across this post which relates to my uncle who died when I was three years old. I was trying to find information about the RAF in 1918 because I was always told that he had joined the flying corps prior to the formation of the RAF by lying about his age but I have nothing to substantiate this. My grandparents were Charles and Mary Ellison and Cecil’s siblings were Nancy Ellison, Phyllis Ellison (my mother) and Joseph Ellison. It would be wonderful to know any other details, I have in the past found the details of his burial site.
    Any other information would be much appreciated.
     
  14. Jenny Ragg

    Jenny Ragg New Member

     
  15. Jenny Ragg

    Jenny Ragg New Member

    Jo you must be related to me as Cecil Ellison was my uncle, Charles and Mary my grandparents and they all lived at the Guards Club Maidenhead during his childhood
     
  16. John Murphy

    John Murphy New Member

    Greetings all, from Canada,

    I have been trying to find more info about my Father, who served as a LAC (Leading Air Craftsman) at RAF Ballah M.E.F. in the last years of WWII. While serving there, amateur boxing matches were held which he participated in. I have a copy of one of the match programs, dated Saturday, 10th March 1945, which identifies Group Captain C.S. Ellison as the Officer Commanding, RAF Station Abu Sueir. I am not sure if this the same Officer you are trying to identify, but I mention just in case.
     
  17. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    These were two separate men.

    The service number 1670459 was issued at Padgate between November 1941 and June 1942 to Frank Ellison.

    RAF officers did not have service numbers in the 20s and 30s. You can chart G/C Ellison's career in the London Gazette. Here he is promoted from Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant in December of 1932. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33889/page/7748/data.pdf

    1670459 LAC Frank Ellison appears to have been the son of Richard Ellison and May P. Pashley, born Huddersfield in the June 1922 Quarter. 1670459 Frank Ellison.png
    From AIR78/51/7 pg 10 of 151

    Regards,

    Dave
     
    Tricky Dicky and Tullybrone like this.
  18. Hi everyone. I too have found a trunk, in an antique centre in Bridport. I could not help but notice that it was covered in very familiar names. It transpires that it belonged to an ancestor of my husband, Frank Spencer, service number 1817802, who lived in Leicestershire (isn't that a coincidence???). I was wondering if there is any way of finding out when he used this trunk and where? Many thanks in advance to anyone who may be able to help.
     

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