VALE: Commander Tracey Elliott RAN (Retd)

We were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Tracey Elliott, a good friend of the Fleet Air Arm.

Born in UK, Tracey Elliott trained in physiotherapy at Newcastle University and having migrated to Australia she qualified an as a radiographer in Melbourne. She transferred into the RAN from the RAAF Reserve in January 2004 as a Lieutenant (Medical Administration.)

Just under twelve months later, when the Boxing Day Tsunami devasted Banda Aceh in Indonesia, killing 260,000 people, Tracey was crash posted to HMAS Kanimbla which was Australia’s major contribution to Operation Sumatra Assist, and sailed with her on New Year’s Eve.

Tracey was the OIC of Kanimbla’s Primary Casualty Reception Facility. On arrival she landed by Sea King helicopter with medical stores to engage in humanitarian work.  She was an eyewitness to the environmental  consequences of a natural catastrophe and saw a level of destruction and human suffering on a fearful scale. It left its mark.

Kanimbla was withdrawing after weeks of sustained humanitarian effort in Aceh when the island of Nias was struck by a severe after shock. The ship was diverted by the Australian Government to render humanitarian assistance. Between the 29 March and 13 April 980 injured patients were treated ashore by Kanimbla’s medical team. Thirteen surgeries were performed in the ship and 83 X Rays and Ultrasounds were conducted in the first 48 hours.

On the afternoon of Saturday 2 April 2005, Sea King Shark 02 suffered a flight control failure and crashed at the Nias sports oval landing site while carrying aid, medical personnel and bottled gas to people waiting there for assistance. When the news of the crash was received onboard it was Tracey’s duty to lead her medical team shore party to retrieve the bodies of the nine killed in the crash. Tracey had flown with the aircrew of Shark 02.  The two RAAF dead were medical colleagues.  These were her shipmates and friends that she and her team were retrieving from the wrecked aircraft.

In blistering heat the nine bodies were carefully extracted and moved with dignity to the waiting ship’s RHIBs. As they were being loaded another earthquake struck. The wharf shook and sections of it fell away. Back onboard Kanimbla the bodies were prepared for repatriation to Australia and to their grieving families.

Tracey paid a heavy price psychologically for the rest of her life for the emotional challenges of what she saw and did on that day in April 2005. Her memories did not fade with time, neither did her sense of duty to the families. Every year, including last 2nd of April, Tracey was present, with families, to remember the Shark 02 dead at their memorial at Albatross. In 2015 she spoke with great compassion at the Shark 02 Memorial at Russell where seven sets of ashes are interred.  It was a courageous decision to speak given the post traumatic pain she was still experiencing.  She was thanked by the families for what she had done in 2005 and by speaking to them ten years on.

Tracey was a joint winner of the CDRE Rob Partington Memorial Shield in 2010 for her efficiency and effectiveness as the OIC of the HMAS Albatross Medical Centre.

Tracey died of illness on 23 July 2025 in Berry Hospital.  She was remembered by family and friends at a memorial service at HMAS Creswell on 1st August 2025.

(Words provided by Desmond Woods, with our grateful thanks).