These pictures record the burial of 605462 Sgt. Arthur Henry Elliot Jnr. Was a pilot with the RAF and was killed 29th August 1942 Aged 22. He was a citizen of the USA serving with the Royal Air Force. Burial took place 2nd. September 1942.
As far as I can be certain the facts behind these pictures are as follows:
Notes from the accident report say that at 1100 while on a training flight from Watton, Elliot, while attempting to land at East Wretham hit a stationary aircraft. F/sgt. Brown (instructor?) survived (unhurt). It seems likely he was with 17th Pilot Advanced Flying Unit it is likely he was flying a Miles Master 2 at the time.
Thank you all for posting this online. I am Sergeant Elliot’s niece, Nancy Ettele, daughter of his sister, Pat, but born in 1951 I never met him. My mother passed away in 2014 and I don’t think she ever saw this – she was still grieving for her brother to the end.
What a good ceremony the RAF organised. How sad when a man is lost in an accident before he could even get to fly in action.
Thank you for publishing these photographs.
Arthur Junior was born 17th August 1920 in Penang, Malaya where his father was an oil company executive. An American citizen, he was at Lehigh University as an aeronautical student but after completing a year he tried to enlist in the US Army Air Corps. He was refused for an eyesight problem. So he enlisted in the RAF and received his primary training at a California airfield.
In July 42 he went via Monkton to England where he was to complete his training in 3 months. But he died on 29th August 1942 from injuries received in a flying training accident.
The two photos of ‘the walk out to the grave’ show the coffin draped with Union Jack and Stars & Stripes. Following close behind are his father, also Arthur Henry Elliot, and his stepmother, Betty. They are the two with their backs to the camera in the last photo. Junior was the only son; he had a sister, Pat.
I have a list of conributors of the wreaths shown in the second to last photo. They include Flight Sgt Brown, as well as the instructors of ‘E’ Flight.
Thank you for contributing that information Charlie. If you are able to add the list of contributors that would be great.
It is indeed sad when a young man dies in war as the result of an accident. Per ardua ad astra indeed.
How do I add a copy of a document? I have the list of wreaths and even the letter from Junior’s father thanking RAF Watton for the ceremony. Also a photo of Junior.
I have emailed you Charlie. Julian