- SURNAME
Elliott
- FORENAME
John Frank
- UNIT
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
- RANK
Major
- NUMBER
409402
- AWARD
George Medal
- PLACE
Aden 1966
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
London Gazette 43933, 22nd March 1966, Page 3349
CITATION:
George Medal : During the period November 1964 to December 1965 in Aden, Major Elliott personally investigated no less than 189 reported incidents involving bombs, booby traps, grenades and other explosive devices. Altogether 309 potentially lethal objects were dismantled by Major Elliott and of these 154 proved to contain explosives in one form or another and were all disarmed by him. In many instances the devices were home made, contained crude but potentially effective anti-lifting mechanisms or the explosives were decomposed and volatile.
Although every one of the incidents investigated by Major Elliott required courage and exceptional devotion to duty, two must be specifically mentioned.
On 16th June 1965, a terrorist blew up part of the Middle East Command Officers' Mess. Major Elliott was called, and suspecting the presence of further explosives, cleared the building, and working by torchlight found and disarmed three further explosive time charges. This highly, dangerous task was rendered even more hazardous by the darkness and more nerve wracking by the presence of the dismembered body of the terrorist, who had been blown up by his own bomb, in the area in which he had to work. Major Elliott refused help, however, until he had made the area safe.
In the early hours of 29th August 1965, he was called to the scene of an explosion in a residential area. A search revealed two more explosive charges which he disarmed. Bloodstains in the area of the explosion suggested that the culprit had injured himself and Major Elliott instigated a search of the area. His investigation eventually led him to a locked room in a nearby house. He had the door broken down and a wounded terrorist was hiding within. The arrest of this man, which would not have taken place but for his alertness and determination, led to a major round up of terrorists in Aden and a sharp reduction in their activities. Throughout the year Major Elliott has risked his life almost daily with calmness, courage and complete disregard for his own safety far above the normal course of duty.
Although every one of the incidents investigated by Major Elliott required courage and exceptional devotion to duty, two must be specifically mentioned.
On 16th June 1965, a terrorist blew up part of the Middle East Command Officers' Mess. Major Elliott was called, and suspecting the presence of further explosives, cleared the building, and working by torchlight found and disarmed three further explosive time charges. This highly, dangerous task was rendered even more hazardous by the darkness and more nerve wracking by the presence of the dismembered body of the terrorist, who had been blown up by his own bomb, in the area in which he had to work. Major Elliott refused help, however, until he had made the area safe.
In the early hours of 29th August 1965, he was called to the scene of an explosion in a residential area. A search revealed two more explosive charges which he disarmed. Bloodstains in the area of the explosion suggested that the culprit had injured himself and Major Elliott instigated a search of the area. His investigation eventually led him to a locked room in a nearby house. He had the door broken down and a wounded terrorist was hiding within. The arrest of this man, which would not have taken place but for his alertness and determination, led to a major round up of terrorists in Aden and a sharp reduction in their activities. Throughout the year Major Elliott has risked his life almost daily with calmness, courage and complete disregard for his own safety far above the normal course of duty.
WEB LINKS:
• https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/43933/supplement/3349NATIONAL ARCHIVES:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7623361
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