Special delivery for WWII Digger

Cliff Elliott receives his war medals from daughter Tricia Connors in time for Anzac Day. Photo: Damjan Janevski 207792_01

Goya Dmytryshchak

World War II Digger Cliff Elliott was delivered his medals on Friday so he could commemorate Anzac Day in lockdown.

The air force veteran, who recently moved from Williamstown to Baptcare Westhaven at Footscray, received the medals from his daughter Tricia Connors.

The two could only see each other through glass because of COVID-19.

Mr Elliott, 94, will pin the medals over his heart for a service at the aged care facility on Saturday.

He said lockdown had been difficult.

“It’s shocking,” Mr Elliott said.

“When my daughter’s coming up – she brings anything up – they’ve got to hand it in at the front door and they bring it up to my room.

“But when she comes, she rings me … and I ring her and we talk to each other through the window, through the glass.

“I’ll be upstairs, she’s downstairs. I can see her and talk to her.”

“Mr Elliott, who has been a Legacy member for nearly 65 years, said he was continuing to help war widows inside the aged care facility.

Ms Connors said the situation was tough on both of them.

“It is, because I can’t go in there,” she said.

“But luckily, he’s got his TV and he’s got a DVD player and … he reads [the newspaper] back to front.”