Ronald Douglas Elliott was born in Windsor, Berkshire, on 27 January 1918, the son of Josiah Sidney Elliott and Edith Alice Elliott (née Moody). He joined the Royal Navy and served in submarines.

On 1 August 1940, he was onboard HMS OSWALD, on patrol in the Straits of Messina, when the Italian destroyer Vivaldi rammed OSWALD. The crew abandoned ship and were taken Prisoner of War. In November 1944. Ronald Elliott made an escape with another member of the crew. However, they were spotted, and Ronald was shot and killed on 19 November 1944.

Ronald Elliott was the husband of Olive Lilian Elliott (née Tennant) of Chiswick – there was one daughter. He is buried in the Florence War Cemetery in Grave X.11.G.3 and is commemorated on the Memorial Board to Windsor’s dead from two World Wars which is on the inside wall of the entrance to the Windsor Parish Church, Windsor, Berkshire.