MILLAR, George Hood
| Service Number: | 141 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 June 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Nairne, South Australia, 23 February 1889 |
| Home Town: | Norwood (SA), South Australia |
| Schooling: | Flinders Street Public School |
| Occupation: | Salesman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 25 July 1916, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Boulogne Eastern Cemetery Plot VIII, Row A, Grave No. 148, Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Norwood Primary School Honour Board, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 141, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 141, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 141, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 141, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), GSW (neck) |
Help us honour George Hood Millar's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College
George Hood Millar No.141, 32nd Battalion A Company
Born on the 23rd of February 1889, to James and Maria Millar at Nairne, in South Australia. George studied at Flinders Street Public School in Adelaide and grew up to be a Salesman/Photographer. George went on to marry and have a child with Agnes Thelma Millar, before enlisting at Keswick on the 30th of June, a decision that would change his life, and the lives of his family.
George’s Military Service Story began that day. He proceeded to pass his medical exam and was declared fit for active service on the 16th of August.
He was appointed to the 32nd Battalion A company as a Private, with no previous military service. The battalion was raised as part of the 8th Brigade at Mitcham on the 9th of August, only a week prior George was then 27 years and 6 months and stood 5ft 8in tall. He had brown hair and hazel eyes.
He left his wife and child in Australia on the 18th of November 1915, as he departed on the ship HMAT A2 Geelong which travelled to Egypt. He disembarked at Suez, and trained for the next few months in Egypt. The training would have involved gun discipline and fitness, as well as other important concepts almost every soldier was taught. He continued to travel on to Marseilles in France, and arrived on the 23rd of June 1916.
His battalion fought it’s first major battle at Fromelles on the 19th of July 1916, having only entered the front line trenches 3 days before. The attack was a horrible introduction to the bloody war for these soldiers and It was then that George Hood really got to experience firsthand the absolute horrors of World War One. Two days later he was recorded wounded and moved back to Boulogne, and was admitted to the 13th General Hospital in France. Unfortunately George continued to suffer from the wounds to the head and neck, and on the 25th of July 1916, his story came to an end.
Letters were sent home to his next of kin (wife) Agnes Millar, with some personal effects of George Hood Millar. The package returned unclaimed and other letters were sent back asking if her address was obtainable. A request was put out to the newspaper, but no reply was received. Over a time it was discovered that his wife had changed address and apparently remarried, her new name being Agnes Thelma Frost. Being the listed next of kin, she was to receive his medals, pictures of memorials, postcards and other effects. Many letters onward were sent and received, some from the mother of George Hood. Eventually, the gratuity was halved between his mother and wife, and the details about the child’s name or address were not declared.
This is the end of George Hood Millar’s Story. If you wish to find other information use the Virtual War Memorial to find useful links and documents related to this soldier.
It should also be noted that some important images and files have also been uploaded to this page, mostly pulled from the Service Record of G.H Millar.
Bibliography
Service Record and Attached Files (main sources)
https://www.awm.gov.au/collections/
http://trove.nla.gov.au
https://www.awm.gov.au/people/roll-search/wounded_and_missing
Click images to start slideshow.