Major David A Ellis

David A Ellis joined Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth in 1970 as a seaman officer cadet. On promotion to Midshipman in 1972 he was posted to HMS Albion the Commando carrier then to HMS Kellington a mine hunter where she was undertaking fishery protection around the UK and then anti terrorist operations in the seas off Northern Ireland. It was when David went ashore in Belfast in the summer of 1972 and met some Paratroopers. He then knew then that he wanted to join the Parachute Regiment.

David joined The Parachute Regiment as a private soldier in 390 Platoon in early 1973. Having completed training as a soldier including P-Company and the basic parachute course at RAF Abingdon I was posted to The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (SMC4) for officer training.

David was commissioned in March 1974 and posted to D Coy 2 PARA in August at Aldershot. He completed two tours of duty in West Belfast with D Coy as well as exercises in Malaysia (ex Jabberwocky), Germany and the USA.

On leaving the Regular Army in 1979 David joined Halliburton and worked with various companies on and offshore in the Oil & Gas industry all over the world. His final job was with BW Offshore working on the 'Catcher' FPSO project in Norway and Singapore.

David served for 16 years with the Territorial Army's 15th (Scottish Volunteer) Battalion The Parachute Regiment as OC B Coy then Battalion Second in Command and following the disbandment of 15 Para I served with 5 Airborne Brigade HQ as a Liaison Officer and Watchkeeper.

His final military parachute descent was into Arnhem in 1999 for the 55th anniversary of the battle. He was awarded the Territorial Decoration in 1996.

David retired in 2016 and lives in Aberdeenshire where he sails a Cornish Shrimper 21 and potters about with his wife and dogs.

He am the author of “A Winter in Belfast”, a book based on his diary of the tour at North Howard Street in 1976 to 1977.