Keith Elliott



Keith Elliott (25 April 1916 – 7 October 1989) was a soldier in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, during the Second World War.

Biography
Elliott was born in Apiti, New Zealand. When he was 26 years old, and a Sergeant in the 22nd Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the Second World War, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 15 July 1942 at Ruweisat, Western Desert, Egypt.

Citation
VCElevenNewZealandWinners.jpg, Maj. R.S. Judson, Pte. J.D. Crichton, Lt. H.J. Laurent, Lt. C.R.G. Bassett

Front row, Sg. J.D. Hinton, Lt. K. Elliott, Cpt. C.H. Upham, Sg. A.C. Hulme, Cpt. S. Frickleton, Lt. J.G. Grant]] Sergeant Elliott, while leading his platoon in an attack under heavy machine-gun and mortar fire, was wounded in the chest. Nevertheless, he carried on and led his men in a bayonet charge which resulted in the capture of four enemy machine-gun posts and an anti-tank gun. Seven of the enemy were killed and 50 taken prisoner. In spite of his wounds Sergeant Elliott refused to leave his platoon until he had reformed them and handed over the prisoners, the number of which had by then increased to 130.

Elliott died on 7 October 1989.

Medal
His Victoria Cross was displayed at the QEII Army Memorial Museum at Waiouru, New Zealand. On Sunday 2 December 2007 it was one of nine Victoria Crosses that were among a hundred medals stolen from the museum. On 16 February 2008 New Zealand Police announced all the medals had been recovered as a result of a NZ$300,000 reward offered by Michael Ashcroft and Tom Sturgess.