Samuel Howard Ellis was born on the 2nd of June 1889, at Waipu in Northland. He was the son of Mr. H Ellis. Known as Sammy to friends, he seems to have preferred to be known officially by his middle name of Howard.

He was quite a sportsman, playing first class cricket for Auckland in the 1911/1912 season, as wicket-keeper.

During the First World War he became a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, and whilst he was a Flight Lieutenant he was shot down and captured. The Auckland Weekly News issue dated the 12th of October 1916 reported on this:

"ELLIS, Flight Lieutenant S Howard, son of of New Lynn, is in a German military hospital. He took part in a great aerial raid, which accompanied the opening of the Somme offensive. He writes: " "I was brought down by an 'archie' (or anti-aircraft gun) on July 3; I was hit in the left leg which was broken and put me out of action and in the right cheek. The leg is more serious and that is only a matter of a few weeks. I was a bit seedy for a day or so but am now mending rapidly. I have been treated with most wonderful kindness by all ranks throughout, from the man who lifted me out of the machine, which was crashed, to the very able surgeon who now attends me."

By World War Two Ellis was a lawyer and successful businessman, and he lived between two homes, one in Suva, Fiji, and the other in Cambridge, New Zealand. His Cambridge home was "Summerleas" on Pope Terrace, (which years later passed into the hands of equally well known local business man, the late J.D. Wallace).

He spent a lot of time during the war in Fiji, and he and his wife, Lady Ellis, would often him trip backwards and forwards between the two places.

In 1940 Sir Howard and Lady Ellis donated £5000 to the RAF to buy a fighter plane. Though reported to have been a Spitfire that was bought with the money, in fact this turned out to actually be a Hawker Hurricane (serial coded V7776). It was given the presentation name "Spirit of the RFC", in honour of Sir Howard's own previous service in the Royal Flying Corps, and the Hurricane was sent to the Middle East. At this stage no further information is known about the fighter's service, who flew it and with which squadron, but it's career was not terribly long because V7776 was struck off charge on the 7th of May 1941.

At around the same time as "Spirit of the RFC" was being struck off charge, the Ellis's kindly donated a second amount of around £5000 for another RAF aircraft. This money paid for Hawker Typhoon (serial coded R8200) which was christened "Islands Of Britain". This fighter served with No. 56 Squadron, and was eventually struck off charge on the 16th of November 1945

A third sum of £5,500 was later donated by Mr and Mrs Howard Ellis to purchase another fighter. The aircraft purchased was a Westland Whirlwind (coded P7102) and dubbed with the presentation name "Comrades in Arms." This fighter served with No.s 137 and 263 Squadrons. Whilst with No. 137 Squadron it carried the squadron codes of PS-F and it was flown by Australian Eddie Musgrave. In June 1942 the aircraft was based at RAF Matlaske. The Whirlwind was struck off charge on the 30th of September 1944.

It is of interest to note that this article from the New Zealand Observer magazine dated the 22nd of April 1942 suggests the name chosen by the Ellis's was shortened by the Royal Air Force.

"AND YET AGAIN - Mr and Mrs Howard Ellis, of Suva - and Cambridge - have once again very generously donated the sum of £5,500 for the purchase of fighter aircraft for Britain to be named "Comrade in Arms - Fiji and New Zealand." This is the third fighter donated by them, and is a very fine gesture."

Modellers will find it interesting that this seems to be the most famous of all Whirlwinds, and has been epicted by the 1/72nd scale Airfix Westland Whirlwind, and the more recent 1/48th scale Classic Airframes kitset. You can see more on the Airfix kitset here and a great build article with some lovely photos of the 1/48th scale kit here

Henry Boot, who studies presentation aircraft of the RAF, and has an interesting website on the subject here has kindly assisted with information on this page. He explains why he believes the original reports of a Spitfire being purchased are incorrect:

"During WW2 there was an organisation known as the Fellowship of the Bellows, which began in South America - Argentine/Brazil somewhere, and it was for ex-Brit's to donate money towards the aircraft funds in secret. A small amount of money was donated by each member for every enemy aircraft shot down. A new member was a "puff", after donating so much they were promoted to a "breeze", and as they donated more money so the "wind" factor went up gale, hurricane, whirlwind, typhoon etc. You see now what I'm getting at? As Mr Ellis was not short of a bob or two, he may well have been a member of the Fellowship of Bellows - hence the reason he donated the Hurricane, Whirlwind and Typhoon - and not a Spitfire."

Howard Ellis, who was later knighted in the June 1943 King's Birthday Honours and from that time was to be known as Sir Howard Ellis, died on the 19th of January 1949, in Fiji

Note: This page is the result of a new line of research started March 2005. I hope to discover more information on the careers of each aircraft, and more dtail on the Ellis's in due course. Thanks to former Cambridge residents Howard and Shirley McLeod for originally telling me about Sir Howard Ellis and his donated 'Spitfire'. Also thanks to Henry Boot for his exceptional help. Credit also goes to The New Zealand Observer magazine dated the 12th of June 1941, and the Auckland Weekly News dated 12th of October 1916.