Two Letters to Mrs Doreen Ellis from the Air Ministry

Two Letters to Mrs Doreen Ellis from the Air Ministry

The first letter advises Doreen that her husband has officially lost his life.
The second letter advises the location of her husband's grave.

1944-01

Two typewritten sheets

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

SEllisRHG918424v10036

AIR MINISTRY
(Casualty Branch)
73-77 OXFORD STREET, W.1.

19th January 1944.
P.408122/43/P4.Cas.B4.

Madam,
I am directed to refer to your letter dated the 8th January 1944 regarding your husband, No. 918424 Sergeant R. H. G. Ellis, Royal Air Force.
In reply to your enquiry I am to inform you that Woensel is situated approximately one mile north of Eindhoven in the province of North Brabant, Holland.
No information has been received to indicate whether the aircraft had reached its target and was on the homeward journey when it was shot down. The report received from the International Red Cross Committee did not state the date of your husband’s burial.
The Department’s information is that our airmen are accorded a military funeral in enemy occupied territory.
Arrangements have been made with the Officer Commanding, Central Depository, Colnbrook, for the release of your husband’s personal effects.
In writing this, I am, once again, to express the profound sympathy of the Department with you.
I am, Madam,
Your obedient Servant,
[signature]
for Director of Personal Services.
Mrs. R. H. G. Ellis,
253 Balham High Road,
[underlined] London.S.W.17. [/underlined]
[page break]

AIR MINISTRY
(Casualty Branch)
73-77 OXFORD STREET, W.1.

31st January 1944.
P.408122/43/P4.B8

Madam,
With reference to the letter from this Department of the 6th January, 1944, I am directed to inform you that action has now been taken to presume, for official purposes, that your husband, 918424 Sergeant R. H. G. Ellis, lost his life on the 31st August, 1943.
I am to express the sympathy of the Department with you in your great loss.
I am, Madam,
Your obedient Servant,
[signature]
for Director of Personal Services.
Mrs. R. H. G. Ellis,
253 Balham High Road,
London.S.W.17.