Cleator Moor World War Records

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Ella Esterina Eldon

Lead Acftw
Ella Esterina Eldon

Military Details

Service Number: 2112312

Regiment & Unit / Ship

Women s Auxiliary Air Force

Service Branch

RAF

Enlistment Details

Residence at Enlistment

Cleator Moor

Service Number at Enlistment

2112312

Service History

Ella enlisted in the WAAF in 1943 In early 1944, Ella was based at RAF Syerston near Newark, Nottinghamshire, which was a base of No 5 Group Bomber Command. At that time it was mainly being used for training bomber crew and as a WAAF, Ella was ground based.
On 11th April 1944 She was killed while “cycling at the airfield to which she was attached at Newark”

Personal Details

Date of Birth

10th April 2026

Place of Birth

Whitehaven

Address

Queen St, Whitehaven

Residence (Roll of Honour)

Cleator Moor

Parents

Giovanni and Sarah Elisabeth

Siblings

Paul

Married

James John Eldon

Children

John James Eldon

Education and Occupation

School

St Beghs

Occupation

Shop Owner

Work Address

38 Birks Rd, Cleator Moor

Death and Memorial

Date of Death

11th April 1944

Age at Death

28

Circumstances of Death

AC1W Eldon was killed in a collision with a NAAFI lorry on the Fosseway, while cycling from RAF Syerston to Newark. The accident occured only nine weeks after the death of her husband in Lancaster Royal Infirmary. She left their son, John James, born 22 December 1940, to be reared by her devastated parents, Giovanni and Sarah Elizabeth Rossi in her home town of Cleatot Moor, Cumberland.

Theater of Action

Western Europe

Notes

Ella was the daughter of Giovanni Rossi and Sarah Elizabeth Rossi (nee Hodgson) who had married in 1916. In 1939, shortly before war was declared, Miss Ella Rossi married Mr James John Eldon of Cleator Moor and they then lived at 38 Birks Road, Cleator Moor. In December 1940, James and Ella's son, John James Eldon was born.

James Eldon then went to work at a "North West factory on essential war work". According to her mother, Ella also wanted to 'do her bit' for the war effort and enlisted to the WAAF in March 1943. James and Ella's young son John was then being looked after by his maternal grandmother, Sarah Rossi.
Tragically, on Tuesday 2nd February 1944, James Eldon died of illness at Lancaster Royal Infirmary. His funeral service and interment took place at Cleator (St Mary's) RC church on Monday 7th February 1944 and was taken by Father Kevin McCann O.S.B.
On 11th April 1944, according to a 'Whitehaven News' report Ella died as the result of an accident while cycling at the airfield to which she was attached at Newark, Nottinghamshire. After release of wartime documents, the report into Ella's death states the collision was with a NAAFI lorry cycling on the Fosseway having left the airfield and heading towards Newark.
In April 1944, Ella's next of kin were therefore her parents, who were then residing at Queen Street, Whitehaven. Ella's funeral service was held at St Begh's RC church, Whitehaven on Saturday 15th April 1944 (11.00 am) followed by interment in the Roman Catholic section of Whitehaven Cemetery (Grave Ref. 6/L/687).
The epitaph on Ella's CWGC headstone reads as follows:
"In loving memory of our dear daughter.
Always remembered.
Jesus have mercy on her".

Buried or Commemorated at

Grave of Ella Esterina Eldon

Whitehaven Cemetery

U.K.

Grave Position: Ward 6. Sec. L. Grave 687.

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