Keith Elliot

Born in Apiti

25 April, 1916

To a farming family

Awarded the Victoria cross

At the outbreak of the Second World War

He applied for a Position in the NZ Military Forces

But was rejected due to the vile state of his teeth

Later he tried again

And filled a position in the 22nd battalion 

Under the command of Lt Col Lesley Andrews VC

Courageous, Loyal, sense of camaraderie

A tough New Zealander through and through

Never giving up

Dawn of 15 July, 1942

The battalion to which Platoon Commander belonged

Was attacked by on three flanks by tanks determined to see them anialated

Under Impending tank fire

 The tanks were a steady stream of bats in the distance,

Machine gun stuttering in the in the distance

And shell fire pounding into the sand, sand flying as feet skid overhead

Sergeant Elliot led the platoon he was commanding

to the relative safety of a ridge 300 yards away

Sustaining a chest wound

Crimson stain spreading across the front of his khaki army issue jacket breathing laboured but determined to see the German treat vangisqed back where they came from

Here he reformed his men

Hot sand moving under foot

Flanked on three sides

Only one way to go without being hammered by the enemies

The odds are overwhelming the enemy senses victory

The only way through this is though the enemy

Against overwhelming odds Elliot and seven comrades rush over 500m

Armed only with rifles and bayonets fixed enabling them as spears

 any moment could be their last with a speed brought on by desperation and charge head first into the heavily defended mgp slashing, hacking and bashing Elliot in the lead leaving felled men in their wake

 Up close and personal vicious hand to Han combat within two feet of them

His men rush at them

Capturing four tortoise shell like heavy machine gun posts

And an anti tank gun

 Steady streams of Bullets whiz zing through the air

A strong smell of smoke from the bomb  cloud the nostrils raining from above

What inspires me is how he never gave up and kept on going right to the end his loyalness

To his comrades how he thought these men are my responsibility they will not get killed on my watch how his selflessness and bravery was committed without a second thought and saved tonnes of lives in the process

Awarded the Victoria Cross

The highest and most prestigious award for gallantry

Keith Elliot

Of Apiti