Elliot, David

Persona

Elliot, David

1894-1918

David Elliot was born on October 25, 1894, to William and Elizabeth Elliot, who lived at 139 Young Street in Hamilton, Ontario. When he was a teenager, David played for the Alerts Football Club and when the First World War broke out, he was working as a clerk in a men’s furnishing business. On February 8, 1916, David enlisted with the 173rd Battalion Canadian Highlanders and was sent overseas to England in November of that year. His unit was later disbanded and absorbed into the 2nd Canadian Reserve Battalion as reinforcements. He was later transferred to the 1st Canadian Battalion Machine Gun Corps, an elite division of the 1st Canadian Division, where he served as a machine gunner training on the Vickers Gun. Private Elliot saw action at various battles including Vimy Ridge, Lens, Passchendaele and Hill 70, escaping injury each time. Unfortunately, his luck would run out and the postcard he sent to his mother on April 6, 1918, telling her he was quite well and thanking her for the letter and parcel she sent, would be his last. Private David Elliot was killed in action on the Western Front three days later on April 9, 1918, at the age of 23. He is buried in Écoivres Military Cemetery in France.

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

CF – Hamilton – Biography – Elliot, David (1894-1918)

Military Records. Elliot, David (Private), 1916-1918. RG150, Accession 1992-193/166, Box 2867-22, Library and Archives Canada.

Military Records. Smith, John Joseph (Private), 1916-1919. RG150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8830-5, Library and Archives Canada.

Biographical and descriptive information also sourced from the material within the fonds.