A Hero’s Send Off

There was standing room only at Hereford Crematorium after hundreds of strangers answered a call to arms and turned up for the funeral of a World War Two veteran.  When RAF veteran John Ellis passed away at the age of 93, his friends who were organising the funeral feared not many people would attend.  So they launched an appeal for mourners to turn up to the service so that the passing of the Sergeant Flight Engineer, who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his two years active service during the War, did not go unnoticed.  They must have been delighted with the result after more than 200 people showed up to pay their respects including RAF servicemen, members of the army, the police force, Hereford Sea Cadets and Royal British Legion and Royal Air Force Association Standard Bearers.  A befitting send off for the hero who flew on 35 operational flights with the 466 bomber squadron and on one occasion even had to assist the pilot to fly the plane home after a mission to Berlin.  An Air Ministry Bulletin from November 1944 said of Mr Ellis: “Shortly after leaving the target his aircraft was subjected to fierce anti-aircraft fire, which seriously damaged the aircraft and caused the petrol system to become partially unserviceable.  Pilot officer Ellis displayed great coolness in this emergency, giving his captain every assistance, and contributing materially to the safe return of his aircraft and crew. This officer has at all times set a high standard of skill and devotion to duty.” It was all a far cry from washing down aeroplanes which is what he told his mother he was doing during the War.