Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 99 The impact of that major battle may still be debated but what remains certain is that the Canadian soldiers were brave and there was "a feeling of pride" to serve with them. "They were a great bunch of people. I was fortunate that I got over the (beach) wall and got back with a few injuries and the Good Lord spared me. It all happened so fast." He had made it behind enemy lines but as the power of the German ambush became clear Canadian soldiers were forced to retreat. When Ellis ran back to shore, he found the landing craft already weighed down with injured soldiers and he knew that if he stayed at Dieppe he would either die from enemy fire or be taken prisoner of war. So, he decided to swim in the hope that he might be rescued. "There was no sense for me to get on that boat, so I took off my clothes and swam. I was heading for England!" A soldier in a row-boat finally found him but he doesn't remember being pulled out of the water. "I woke up in an anti-aircraft naval boat." he recalled. Ellis received the DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal) for his bravery. His citation as printed in The London Gazette of October 2, 1942, read: The NCO landed with the first wave at Puys, during the operation in the Dieppe 19 Aug 42. After a gap was blown in the wire on the sea-wall, L/Cpl Ellis passed through the gap and proceeded up the hill to the right; He immobilized booby traps, explored a recently abandoned enemy post, and arriving at the top, engaged an enemy post east of the beach. Finding himself alone, and seeing the second wave coming in, he returned to the wall to guide them forward. Coming across a comrade paralyzed in both legs he dragged him nearly back to the wall. Here the wounded man was killed and L/Cpl Ellis himself wounded. He succeeded in crossing the wall and was evacuated as a casualty. L/Cpl Ellis in this action displayed the greatest initiative, skill and devotion to duty. continued ... continued ... Editor’s note: The following pages honour the service and sacrifice of nine (9) Nova Scotians who participated in the Dieppe Raid of 1942 and were unfortunately Killed In Action during the battle.
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