ALLIED INVASION OF SICILY. Operation Husky. The night of 9–10 July 1943
HMS Mendip escorts Convoy KMF18 transporting troops and equipment to North Africa in support of Operation Torch and in preparation for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.
Ernie was an intelligent man and a keen sportsman being in the HMS Mendip unbeaten football team. He taught Martin and his brother how to tap out morse code messages, he was of course very fast!
Like many service men returning from the war, Ernie never talked about his war time experience and sadly died in 1980 at the relatively young age of 58.
Ernie’s Journal is an outstanding document and a fascinating insight into the life at sea during World War Two onboard HMS Mendip. It gives a first-hand accounts of war at sea and the Allied amphibious landing on mainland Italy at Salerno. (Operation Avalanche)
Port of Antwerp Pass and "Beer" money, from Ernie Ellis's collection.
Commandoes Ashore. Invasion of Salerno Beaches 10th September 1943.
HMS Mendip's Football Team 1942. Ernie third from right back row.
Yacht, once the property of Adolf Hitler, appropriated by the British Navy at Cuxhaven, Germany.
ORAN 1943. We arrived at Oran, Algeria. We could see the Atlas Mountain in the distance.
The following we day landed 10,000 paratroops at Phillippeville (today called Skikda.)
Ernie with a beard.
Fresh water is rationed. I can put in a request to grow a beard, but if I do I'll have to keep it for three months.
ALLIED INVASION OF ITALY, Operation Avalanche, 3 September 1943
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HMS Mendip is the first ship to enter Passero Harbour, the Invasion of Sicily.
Mussolini the ships dog. I'm guessing the crew found him as a puppy in Italy and it looks like he was around for some time.
HMS Royal Arthur was the Royal Navy shore training base near Skegness, a former Holiday Camp, during World War Two.
HMS MENDIP'S UNBEATEN FOOTBALL TEAM
Ernie Ellis back row in poloneck jumper.
Convoy entering the Gulf of Salerno on the night of invasion, 9th September 1943.
Mendip's Football Team. Ernie third from left back row.
Telegraphist Ernie C. Ellis, HMS Mendip.
HMS MENDIP
Telegraphist Ernie C. Ellis
THE JOURNAL OF TELEGRAPHIST ERNIE C. ELLIS, ROYAL NAVY, HMS MENDIP.
from the 20th June 1943 to 14th September 1943.
Included escorting convoys to north Africa, (Operation Torch) the Sicily Landings and Italy landing at Salerno.
Journal and photograph’s by kind permission of Martin Ellis, son of Ernie C. Ellis.
HMS Mendip patrolling off Cape Passero after initial landings.
Lieutenant Davey, Skipper of HMS Mendip with the ships mascot, Mussolini.
Liberty Ship Hit by two torpedoes.
Grand Harbour, Valetta, Malta.
Arrived a Malta with large Troop Convoy. Left at 0730 to invade Sicily.
213 Class, HMS Royal Arthur, 8th November 1941.
Harry, Ted, Eddie, Tommy, Ben, John, Arthur, Dave, Bert, Dennis, Dave, Jack, Bart and Brian.
Tent accommadation and Hjdraffia rest camp Malta September 1943.
First U-boat contact, dropped depth charges.