Roll of Honour 2023

P AGE 160

W ORLD W AR II

S T . E DWARD ’ S S CHOOL , O XFORD R OLL OF H ONOUR

Name VICTOR FRANCIS ELLIS (Capt)

Set / House A

Lef SES 1938

Roll Number 2815 Died 14:09:1942

Arrive SES 1933

Where TOBRUK Serving with ROYAL MARINES

Age 23

Buried El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt Remembered Christ Church Oxford WW2 Memorial and The St. Edward’s School WW2 Memorial

Born in Eastry, Kent 1919, he was an ‘outstanding member of the School - even as a New Boy. All he undertook he did well and thoroughly. He represented the School at Squash, Swimming, Diving and Rowing. He rowed in the School VIII at Henley for three successive tears and was Captain of Boats in the last two. His School work was of the highest order and the years in which he was a leading member of a Form which contained some outstanding ability will long be remembered.In personality he was breezy, open and genuinely friendly, never presuming. His resounding energy was always retained by good sense and consideration for others’ (Chronicle). He was a School Prefect, also Captain of Squash, in the 2nd Rugby Football XV, Editor of the ‘Chronicle’, School Play, Under-Officer OTC, In the Science VIth Form. He went up to Christ Church, Oxford where ‘He continued to fulfil his early promise’ (Chronicle). In 1940 he was commissioned into the Royal Marines and soon after was made up to Lieutenant and Captain by 1941. Moved to the Desert Campaign, he was on board HMS ‘Zulu’ anchored in Tobruk Harbour, moored next to her sister ship HMS ‘Sikh’, which had already been hit by shore batteries and was sinking fast. HMS ‘Zulu’, trying to land Marines was also now being bombed by Italian Macchi C200 Fighter Bombers which killed twelve Marines including Ellis and wounded many more who were trying valiantly to save survivors on the ‘Sikh’.