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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 130A

A fine Second World War and post-war campaign group of eight awarded to Lieutenant-Commander (E.) V. W. J. Elliott, who won a 'mention' for his services in H.M.S. Belfast in Korean waters

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star, clasp, Pacific; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, S.E. Asia 1945-46, Near East (V. W. J. Elliott, Wt. Ord. Officer, R.N.), minor official correction to rank; Korea 1950-53, with M.I.D. oak leaf (S.C.O.E. V.W.J. Elliott, R.N.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, generally very fine or better (8)

Victor William Josiah Elliott was born in Croydon, Surrey on 1 May 1917 and was likely a pre-war entrant as an Ordnance Artificer.

Appointed Warrant Ordnance Officer in August 1944, he joined the cruiser H.M.S. Sussex in the Pacific and saw action with her Task Force, not least on the occasion she was attacked by kamikaze aircraft on 26 July 1945; one of them left a perfect imprint on the side of Sussex, from which it could be identified as a Mitsubishi Ki-51 'Sonia' bomber.

Events on 5 September 1945 were of a happier nature, however, for - flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Cedric Holland - Sussex entered Singapore harbour to take the surrender of local Japanese forces under General Seishiro Itagaki, who signed the formal document aboard the cruiser.

Sussex was subsequently employed in operations in the Dutch East Indies 1945-46, on one occasion providing cover for the landings of the 5th Indian Division in November 1945, in readiness for military operations against insurgents in Java.

H.M.S. Belfast - Korea - M.I.D.

Having then returned home to an appointment in the cruiser Sirius - and served as an Equipment Officer in the Naval Ordnance Department - Elliott was advanced to Senior Commissioned Ordnance Officer and joined the cruiser Belfast in March 1950. And he remained actively employed in her in Korean waters until at least October 1952, during which period Belfast steamed over 80,000 miles in the combat zone and gained much acclaim for her accurate bombardments.

Following a 350-round bombardment launched from her 6-inch guns on 19 July 1950, in support of troops around Yongdok, an American Admiral praised her as 'a straight-shooting ship.' In fact - and very much up Elliott's street as her Senior Commissioned Ordnance Officer - Belfast eventually expended 8,000 6-inch shells, in consequence of which she had to have her gun barrels replaced in Singapore.

Towards the end of her Korean tour, on 29 July 1952, Belfast was hit by enemy fire while engaging an artillery battery on Wolsa-ri Island, a 75mm. shell striking her forward compartment, killing a rating and wounding four others.

Elliott, who undoubtedly played a key role throughout, was duly mentioned in despatches 'for distinguished service in operations in Korean waters' (London Gazette 3 October 1952, refers).

Today, of course, Belfast is moored on the Thames in the care of the Imperial War Museum; see:

https://www.facebook.com/hmsbelfast/videos/in-june-1950-north-korean-forces-invaded-south-korea-beginning-the-korean-war-hm/1105093343316476/

A stint of duty at the training establishment Excellent having ensued, he next joined - in November 1954 - the repair ship Ranpura, in which capacity he saw active service in the Suez Crisis in November-December 1956.

Elliott was finally placed on the Retired List as an Engineer Lieutenant-Commander in 1968, and he died in Portsmouth, Hampshire in April 1997.

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Estimate
£800 to £1,200