BX September 18, 1965
Sent By Earl of Avon – Old Soldier Gets Gift Book
A chance meeting between a Brantford man and an officer in the British army on the eve of the Battle of the Somme 49 years ago had a pleasant outcome this week.
Horace Ellins of 94 Superior Street received a copy of Facing the Dictators, the memoirs of Anthony Eden.
Inside the cover was written “For Sergt. Horace Ellins from Avon with every good wish, August / 65.”
Mr. Ellins first met Eden a captain in the British army, outside army headquarters in France while Canadian and British officers were planning the attack at the Somme.
Mr. Ellins a trooper with the 2nd Canadian Division, began conversing with Eden when the captain showed an interest in the Canadian horses waiting outside the headquarters.
“At that time I had not the slightest idea who Capt. Eden was for then he was known as just Eden, recalled Mr. Ellins.
Eden later became Prime Minister of Britain. He is now Earl Avon.
After being wounded in the Somme, Mr. Ellins met Eden in London in 1918 while the headquarter staff were hosts to Canadian officers.
After the war, Mr. Ellins and Eden often wrote to each other. They discovered both their birthdays are on June 12 and cards have been exchanged each year.
In the Second World War Mr. Ellins became a Sgt. Major with the H.L.I. of Canada and London once again became the meeting place of the two men, this time on more intimate terms.
The two men still exchange first day covers of new postage stamps.
BX July 13, 1967
Brantford’s Happy Warrior Veteran of Two Wars, Dies
Horace A. Ellins, 73 of 94 Superior Street, a veteran of two world wars, died early today at Westminister Hospital in London.
Known to many as Brantford’s happy warrior, Mr. Ellins received personal satisfaction from his pen pal hobby. But letters from figures such as Sir Winston Churchill and Sir Harold Macmillan were only by-products of his main pastime – collecting first day covers of commemorative postage stamp issues for which he was known all over the world.
A chance meeting between Mr. Ellins and Sir Anthony Eden on the eve of the Battle of the Somme 51 years ago led to a pleasant surprise in 1965. Mr. Ellins received an autographed copy of Facing the Dictators. Eden’s memoirs. For years the two men exchanged first-day covers.
His kindness made Christmas Day in 1941 a merry one for children in England. About 1000 Highland Light Infantry troops of Canada, at Mr. Ellins’ suggestion, turned over Christmas presents sent by their families to children of Bognor Regis on the south coast of England.
A yearly thank-you telegram to Mr. Ellins said simply “Christmas greetings – Chairman, Bognor Regis council.”
Born in England, Mr. Ellins came to Brantford in 1910. He worked at the Watson Manufacturing Co. and Cockshutt Farm Equipment of Canada Ltd. He retired from Brantford General Hospital where he had worked as a security guard.
He was a life member of Brant Masonic Lodge and the 56th Field Regiment Sergeants’ Mess. In addition he was a member of Branch 90, Royal Canadian Legion, the Army, Navy and Air Force Club, and The Brant Artillery Club. Mr. Ellins was also president of the Brantford branch of the Highland Light Infantry and a member of Holy Trinity Anglican Church.
Surviving are his wife, the former Maude Walters, two sons Leslie and Leonard, both of Brantford, one brother Leonard in London, Ont. And seven grandchildren.
Mr. Ellins will be at Hill and Robinson Funeral Home Friday for service in the chapel at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Interment will be in the Soldiers’ Plot at Mount Hope Cemetery. Rev. C.S. Inder will officiate.
