Commander B. H. Ellis DSO, DSM, RNVR,

[michaeldr]

Remembered Today on the Great War Forum
Commander Bernard Henry ELLIS Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Service Medal Hawke Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who died 21/04/1918 WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY France 

Commander Ellis is also remembered on the Memorial to Solicitors And Articled Clerks - WW1 (WMR 11548), Holborn, Greater London 

From RECORD  OF SERVICE OF  SOLICITORS  AND ARTICLED  CLERKS WITH  HIS  MAJESTY'S  FORCES 1914— 1919 
BERNARD  HENRY  ELLIS. 
Admitted  Feb.  1908.  Member  of  Peters  &  Ellis,  of  2a  Guildhall  Chambers, 
Basinghall  Street,  E.C.  
Mobilised  Aug.  1914,  as  Chief  Petty  Officer,  Royal Naval  Volunteer  Reserve,  
served  with  Royal  Naval  Division,  Benbow  Batt., at  Antwerp.  Mentioned  in  Dispatches.  Awarded  the  D.C.M. * 
Landed  at Gallipoli  May  1915  and  remained  there  until  the  evacuation.  
Commissioned Temp.  Sub-Lieut.  Royal  Naval  Volunteer  Reserve  Oct.  1915,  
promoted  Temp. Lieut,  and  Adjutant  Nov.  1915,  
Temp.  Lieut. -Commander  Oct.  1916.  
Served at  Stavros  Feb.  to  April  1916,  in  France  May  1916  to  April  1918— with  Anson Batt.  June  1915  to  April  1917  (4  months  in  command),  Hood  Batt.  April  21 to  April  30,  1917,  and  since  April  1917  in  command  of  Hawke  Batt.  
Awarded the  D.S.O.**    
Died  of  wounds  in  France  April  21,  1918. 

*To receive the Distinguished Service Medal. (29th December 1914)
For the operations round Antwerp from the 3rd to the 9th October:
Chief Petty Officer Bernard Henry Ellis, No. 748, B. Co., R.N.V.R., London. [edit to add - ADM 339/1/11553 shows '“Mention” is cancelled by award of the D.S.M.']

**To receive the Distinguished Service Order (New Years Honours 1917)
Temp Lieutenant-Commander Bernard Henry Ellis, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. For conspicuous gallantry in action.
[Per Capt. Christopher Page RN rtd., writing in 'RND' on the Battle of the Ancre (November 1916), the award was for his “outstanding leadership and initiative” in command of the remnants of the Anson Battalion, following the death of Lt-Col F Saunders DSO]

In his history The Hawke Battalion, Douglas Jerrold describes the March 1918 retreat, and tells of “the CO moving from point to point on the ridge in search of the best place for observation, was struck in the neck by a bullet and seriously wounded … … … Four volunteers, crouching at the corners (of a blanket) raised themselves at a given signal, and, clear cut on the skyline, carried our wounded CO to the rear. For a moment the hail of bullets continued, but when the enemy realized what was happening the firing ceased, and there was not another shot until the party had withdrawn behind the ridge. Unexpected as it was, this gallantry much impressed all ranks.”

Wounded on the 25th March, by 26th March 1918 he had reached the 5th British Red Cross Hospital, [GSW. Neck, Severe] but did not survive, dying on 21st April 1918, and buried at Wimereux Communal Cemetery. 

Edited 21 April by michaeldr

[horatio2]

A fine RNVR (since 1904) senior rate rising to CO of three RND battalions (Anson, Hood and Hawke).  Unusually, his 30 Oct 14 Antwerp MiD as a CPO was cancelled by his Antwerp DSM award two months later.

As a Lt Cdr in Anson Bn, he was MiD again, this time by C-in-C BEF on 9 Apr 17 (London Gazette 15 May 17 p.4744).  CWGC does not record his 2 x MiD.

Edited 21 April by horatio2