More about James Caesar Ellis

James Ceasar Ellis   Merchant Navy

BROUGHTY ENGINEER DROWNED AT SEA.

Chief Engineer James C. Ellis, jun., third son of ex-Bailie Ellis, Broombank, Broughty Ferry, was drowned at sea on 3rd May.  Deceased, who was 28 years of age, served his apprenticeship with the Caledon Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Ltd., Lilybank Foundry.  During the eight years he had served in the mercantile marine service he gained rapid promotion.

Broughty Ferry Guide 5th June 1918

Tivives, a 5017 gross ton passenger and refrigerated cargo ship, was launched at Belfast, Ireland, for the United Fruit Company as Peralta, but was completed in 1911 as Tivives. She was transferred from British to American registry in 1914. The Navy took the ship over and commissioned her at New York on 5 July 1918 as USS Tivives (the registry ID # 4521 was assigned a few years later). After taking on a cargo of beef and eight motor trucks, on 13 July she sailed in convoy for France. Arriving at St. Nazaire on 29 July, she discharged her cargo and steamed back to New York in a convoy between 15 and 26 August. From September 1918 to March 1919 Tivives made four more round trips between New York and France, carrying between 1625 and 1902 tons of beef on each eastbound voyage. USS Tivives was decommissioned and returned, via the U.S. Shipping Board, to her owners on 25 April 1919. Following more than two decades of further commercial service, she was torpedoed and sunk by German aircraft in the Mediterranean on 21 October 1943.

James was the brother of L/Cpl Thomas Buick Ellis, 4182, 1st Pioneer Battalion, Australian Infantry who died of wounds 20.12.1916 and Sub Lt Fank Ellis, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. James was a former pupil of Grove Academy, Broughty Ferry and is remembered on the school’s war memorial.

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James C Ellis was the son of Baillie Ellis of Broombank, Camphill Road in Broughty Ferry. He served his apprenticeship at the Caledon Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, the Lilybank Foundry and also attended Dundee Technical College as Student No2633 between 1906 and 1908, graduating in Marine Engineering to Board of Trade standards. James Ellis drowned at sea in 1918 but this is not recorded in Deaths at Sea. The SS Tivives was a former UK registered refrigerated cargo carrier. His brother was Sub Lieutenant Frank Lyall Ellis RNVR who had served in the Howe Battalion in Gallipoli and France before being commissioned into the Drake Battalion in July 1918 and wounded in November 1918.

Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie