Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frederick Walter Millwood was born in the suburb of Footscray in Melbourne on the 29th of June 1897 (1). His family moved to Sydney early on in his life, attending Sydney Technical High School (STHS) for his education (2). He initially resided on 21 Hirst Street in Arncliffe and his occupation was in glass works (3). Millwood joined the 30th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and took part in the nation’s first battle on the Western front in the Battle of Fromelles (4). He faced hardship abroad, being injured in action and succumbing to shellshock (5); a relatively fortunate outcome when compared to the disaster which arose in Fromelles. 

Before enlisting into the AIF, Millwood had attended STHS and received his preliminary education. Although sources are limited, he would have had a great appreciation for Tech’s industrial arts department as his post-graduate career in glass works required critical knowledge which would have been accentuated in classes such as engineering and physics. Millwood attended Tech just as the school was divorced from being solely an institution for fostering technical skills, although the technical element remained a core focus of the school and would have greatly assisted Millwood’s work life. (7) 

Millwood enlisted into the AIF on the 18th of July 1915 and joined the 30th Battalion on the 2nd of August (8).

He embarked in November 1915 and disembarked at Egypt 11 December 1915 to undergo rigorous training in preparation of what would become the Battle of Fromelles in France (11). He proceeded to France arriving at Marseilles 23 June 1916.

Millwood was wounded in action 20 July 1916 as a result of the attempted advance at Fromelles which ended with no strategic gains. Millwood had developed shell shock and was admitted to hospital where he stayed for a month before rejoining his unit to continue the war effort in France. Unfortunately, shell shock was not the end of Millwood’s path of injuries. In January 1917 he developed Bronchitis. After initial treatment in France he was transferred to England and was admitted to hospital in Reading for aphonia, which is a loss of voice and a symptom of shell shock (13). In October 1917 he was appointed a Lance Corporal.

He disembarked from Europe and returned to Australia on 8 April 1919

Millwood’s return to Australia was marked with settlement and change alongside a need to continue to support the nation in WWII. He had two spouses, Lillian H Langford and Clara Davis; the latter of which he married in April 1920 and had two children with, Arthur and Joyce Millwood (16). Millwood moved to Campsie and did not return to his occupation in glass works, opting to become a storeman, packer and manager instead (17)

Millwood enlisted again 2 June 1942 into the 28th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (19), which was a part-time military force during WWII initially composed of ex WWI servicemen(20). He ultimately passed away on 31 October 1981 (21).

Endnotes

(1) - https://www.ancestry.com.au/genealogy/records/frederick-w-millwood-24-83d199 Ancestry.com - Top section entailing DOB and place of birth

(2) - https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/247635 VWMA states Sydney Tech

(3) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 2 of PDF - occupation + address

(4) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 6 of PDF - Battalion, battle of Fromelles 

(5) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 6 of PDF - Injuries

(6) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 18  of PDF indicating  “PROMOTED corporal”

(7) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 2 of PDF - occupation

(8) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 13 of PDF - service information + embarkment date

(9) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 13 of PDF - service information + embarkment

(10) - https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=209667 AIF project site, embarkment date/ship 

(11) - https://fromelles.info/units/30th-australian-infantry-battalion/ Fromelles information

(12) - https://fromelles.info/units/30th-australian-infantry-battalion/ Fromelles information (casualties)

(13) - NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 6 of PDF - Injuries

(14) -  NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 6 of PDF - disembarkment

(15) -  NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 21 of PDF - medals

(16) - https://www.ancestry.com.au/genealogy/records/frederick-w-millwood-24-83d199 Ancestry.com  Shows spouses, children and relationships 

(17) - NAA files (WWII) Frederick Walter Millwood 1939-1948 Item ID: 6232088 Page 5 of PDF occupation and new address (Campsie)

(18) -  NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179 Page 8 of PDF - letter

(19) - NAA files (WWII) Frederick Walter Millwood 1939-1948 Item ID: 6232088 Page 4 of PDF - enlisting in civilian forces

(20) - https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/3397 - 28th VDC Battalion

(21) - https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=209667 AIF project site, date of death

Bibliography

https://www.ancestry.com.au/genealogy/records/frederick-w-millwood-24-83d199 - Ancestry.com
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=209667 - AIF project
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1437793 - Alternate VWMA page (WWII)
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/247635 - Main VWMA page (WWI) 
NAA files (WWI) Frederick MILLWOOD 1914-1918 Item ID: 7980179
NAA files (WWII) Frederick Walter Millwood 1939-1948 Item ID: 6232088 - (post WWI)
https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/3397 - 28th VDC Battalion
https://fromelles.info/units/30th-australian-infantry-battalion/ - Fromelles