Just over sixty years ago, on the 4-July-1950, an Able Seaman on the RFA Wave Commander gave his life to save the life of the ship’s Bosun during tank cleaning while the ship was off the coast of Portugal.
Morris Ellis hailed from Anglesey. He was a single man and had been brought up by his relatives after the deaths of his parents.
Able Seaman Morris Ellis was posthumously awarded the Albert Medal on 23rd January 1951.
The citation for the award says: –
The medal was presented by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to Able Seaman Ellis’ next of kin at Buckingham Palace following the death of her father King George VI.
Able Seaman Morris Ellis AM was buried at North Front Cemetery, Gibraltar.
To see an image of his grave and the actual medal he was awarded click here
In 1971 the award of the Albert Medal was discontinued and all living recipients were invited to exchange their awards for the George Cross.