Major John Elliot M.C.

Major John Elliot M.C., 6th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Germany on 18th February 1945, aged 24. He had been born in Edinburgh and was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Elliot of Thirlestane, Lauder and is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany. He fell in the capture of Goch where casualties were 6 killed and 29 wounded. He and Captain Meredith had just stepped onto the road to Goch to make a reconnaissance when he was hit by a burst of machine gun fire. He was the last of the key party called up in 1939 and it was said of him ” he was the epitome of the Unit with his gay gallantry, quiet energy and tremendous energy and efficiency”. He had won his Military Cross in Normandy on 1st July 1944 when in charge of an anti-tank gun. He had disabled one German tank when another attacked his gun killing the layer Corporal Wallace. Captain Elliot, despite being wounded, continued to fight his gun until the German assault was repulsed. The photos show Borderers in 1945.

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