Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George Edward Millen #181 25th Battalion
There is little evidence to connect George Millen to the Coorparoo district or the Methodist congregation. George had been born at Tallebudgera, and was working in the sugar industry in Nambour when he enlisted on 9th February 1915. He gave his eldest sister, Margaret Millen of Scarborough Street, Southport, as his next of kin despite the fact that his father was still living at Mudgeeraba.
George was drafted as an original member of the 25th Battalion, which was raised at Enoggera from recruits primarily from regional Queensland. At the time he reported he had served two years with the Moreton Regiment Citizens Forces and on the strength of this experience was promoted to corporal. The training provided at Enoggera was at first very basic as there were insufficient supplies of military equipment and the battalion spent a lot of time constructing the camp itself. Eventually a more military order was established with close order drill, musketry and route marches. On 29th May, the battalion took part in a march from Enoggera to the city, down Queen Street to Brunswick Street. Home leave was granted and many of the men had studio photographs taken in their new uniforms.
On 29th June 1915 the battalion was loaded onto trains at Enoggera Station headed for Pinkenba Wharf where they boarded the “Aeneas”. After a brief stop in Sydney, the transport headed across the bight and into the Indian Ocean bound for Egypt, arriving in Suez on 4th August. Whilst in camp at Abbassia, the men were issued with battalion colour patches; a black over blue diamond, to replace the copper “25” on the shoulders. George at this time requested a return to the ranks and reverted to private. This would cause some concern after his death regarding his pay.
On 11th September 1915, the 25th disembarked at Gallipoli. This operation was carried out at night and the battalion suffered only one casualty during the landing. By this time the Gallipoli campaign had developed into a stalemate with neither side willing to incur the shocking casualties that had occurred in May and August. November saw the arrival of severe storms to the peninsula as well as snow. After an inspection by Lord Kitchener; the British command decided to abandon Gallipoli and the 25th were withdrawn with the rest of the ANZAC force in December. By January 1916, the 25th were back in Egypt taking on reinforcements and preparing for a shift to France. The 25th battalion were the first Australian Infantry unit into France, arriving in Marseilles on 19th March 1916.
The Battalion was transported by train north to the Armentieres sector of the front. This part of the line was considered to be suitable for educating newly arrived troops into the routines of trench warfare, even though there were not actually any trenches as the ground was too boggy; Instead earthen breastworks had been constructed with timber walls and duckboard floors; and even piped running water; a far cry from the conditions on Gallipoli. The battalion spent several months rotating in and out of the line before being called south to the Somme in July.
Haig; Supreme British Commander in France, launched his Somme offensive on 1st July 1916. In spite of suffering 60,000 casualties on the first day, Haig continued the “big push” along the axis of the Albert Bapaume Road and by the end of July the British forces were halted at the village of Pozieres. The 1st Australian Division was first into the line and eventually captured the village. The 2nd Division were tasked with the capture of two lines of German trenches on the ridge above the village. The 25th Battalion’s first assault on the trenches began on the 29th July but the objective was not held until the 7th August during which time the 25th suffered horrendous casualties from machine guns and artillery. When the battalion was finally withdrawn, 29 officers and 660 other ranks failed to answer the roll call from a nominal strength of 950. Amongst the casualties was George Millen; killed in action.
Although listed as KIA, George’s body was never found. His name would eventually be added to the almost 11,000 names of Australian Servicemen who have no known grave at the Australian National Memorial at Villers Bretonneux,.
Correspondence in the file at the National Archives indicates that there was a rather unseemly family dispute over George’s war gratuity and his medals with the balance of his deferred pay ultimately going to his sister Margaret but his medals were allocated to George’s father.
George was one of three brothers and all three served in the 25th Battalion. His younger brother Robert John was killed in action in July 1918 but curiously his name does not appear on the Coorparoo Methodist memorial plaque. The third brother, William although wounded survived the war and married a music teacher some 13 years his senior. His last known address was Wellington New Zealand.
Today just outside the village of Pozieres are the remains of a windmill and German blockhouse. The windmill provides a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. On the site of the windmill is a commemorative stone which reads:

“The ruin of the Pozieres windmill which lies here was the centre of the struggle on this part of the Somme Battlefield in July and August 1916. It was captured by Australian troops who fell more thickly on this ridge than on any other battlefields of the war.”