Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Walter Arthur Hartley Miller was born on the 17th of March 1890 in Adelaide, South Australia. His mother Ellen Eliza Anne Miller, Father Arthur William Miller, and brother Fedrick Miller accompanied him during his early life. In his teenage life, he was blessed with ten siblings. Walter later became a miner before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on the 12th of March 1916. He was an average 26-year-old single male, with brown hair, hazel eyes, 168 centimetres tall and weighed 135 pounds. Upon enlistment, they assigned him to the 8th Reinforcement, 32nd Infantry Battalion under the service number of 3586.

It wasn’t until 12th of August 1916 where he embarked from Adelaide aboard the HMAT A70 Ballarat, where his journey spanned over 47 days. This journey was not long compared to other battalions, disembarking at Devonport on the 30th of September 1916, where he had shortly marched into the 8th Training Battalion in Hurdcott. 4 months into his training, he was admitted into Fovant Military Hospital on 29th December 1916 for scabies, where he was discharged backed into training 1 month later. 

On the 4th of February 1917, Walter’s unit was sent overseas to France, where they settled into the 5th Australian Divisional Base Depot in Etaples. Where 4 days later, they were sent into the Western Front to support the rest of the 32nd Battalion. Unfortunately, 1 month after entering the battlefield, on the 19th of March he was admitted into the 5th Divisional Rest Station for “pyrexia of unknown origin”, where on 23rd of March they transferred him to the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station for influenza. Proceeding from his illness, they then sent him to the 8th stationary hospital in Wimereux on the 3rd of April and back to England where he was admitted into the War Hospital in Norfolk on the 12th of April. Recovering from his illness, he marched into the 1st Command Depot in Perham Downs on the 2nd of June. 

Throughout Walter’s service, he was constantly admitted to into hospital because of various illnesses. On the 13th of July 1917, he was admitted to the Brigade Hospital in Perham Downs for tonsillitis, where he was discharged 4 days later and marched back into the 1st Command Depot. On the 21st of August, he marched into the Overseas Training Brigade to continue his training. However, in October, Walter was sent to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Bulford for a bacterial infection, which resulted in the recovery of 45 days, where he was discharged in December and marched into the Central Training Depot in Parkhouse.

During Walter’s time of service, he was seeing a 21-year-old lady in London called Simmons Agnes. On the 22nd of January 1918, he and Agnes had married in Islington at St Mark’s Church by Fred Rostrin, under the Established Church ceremony.

On the 28th of February 1918, Walter requested a change of “Next-of-Kin” from her sister, Ruth Sheridan to his wife “Miller, Ms Agnes” or Simmons Agnes. Ms. Agnes currently lived at 28, Birnam Road, where 2 months later she moved to 192 Elthorne Rd.

After marching into the 1st Command Depot in Sutton Veny and the Overseas Training Battalion in Longbridge Deverill, they sent Walter overseas to France on the 15th of May 1918, where he settled into the Australian Intermediate Base Depot in Le Havre 2 days later. The proceeding day, he was sent out to support his unit. However, on the 23rd of May, while marching to his unit, he was admitted into the 61st Casualty Clearing Station due to trench fever. He was transferred to the 22nd General Hospital in Camiers on the 27th, then to the 6th Convalescent Depot in Etaples on the 29th. On the 9th of June, he was moved to the 5th Convalescent Depot in Cayeaux followed by the Australian Convalescent Depot on the 20th and finally back to the Australian Intermediate Base Depot in Le Havre on the 26th of June 1918. 

While Walter was finishing his recovery, he was sent out to re-join his unit on the 17th of July. He had spent a month out battling in the Western Front before he was admitted to the 15th Field Ambulance and transferred to the 19th Ambulance Train for ingrown toenails on the 16th of August 1918. Unfortunately, his ingrown toenails lead to onychia, thus resulting in the loss of some toenails. This condition allowed him to be admitted into the 47th General Hospital in Le Treport on the following day. Walter was sent to the Convalescent Depot in Le Havre on the 31st of August for recovery. After his recovery, he was sent to the Australian Intermediate Base Depot in Le Havre on the 25th of September for preparations to re-join his battalion on the Western Front. Five days later the 30th, Walter marched out to his unit.

Just 1 month into his battle in the Western Front, on the 17th of October 1918, Walter was sent to the 3rd Australian General Hospital in Abbeville via the 8th Field Ambulance, where he arrived the next day with the diagnosis of nephritis. Walter was later transferred back to England to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford on the 17th of November 1918, in which he stayed for 1 month and 4 days. After his discharge from hospital, he was to report to the 2nd Command Depot on the 4th of January 1919. 

On the 6th of January 1919, Walter was granted extension to leave, which lasted until the 11th of march. During his leave, he was unfortunately admitted into hospital again for an unknown reason. After his discharge from hospital on the 11th of March, Walter marched into the 2nd Command Depot in Weymouth. However, 8 days after his discharge, he was hospitalised again in the Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Southall for influenza on the 19th of March. Luckily, he was discharged 10 days later and marched into the 1st Command Depot in Weymouth. 

On the 23rd of July 1919, Walter was allowed indefinite leave. He stayed in England until 6th of September 1919, where he commenced his return to Australia aboard the HT Berrima. He disembarked in Melbourne on the 2nd of November. On the 14th of March 1920 in Adelaide, medical tests showed Walter was medically unfit, which lead to his discharge from the Australian Imperial Forces. They issued him the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his participation and bravery in volunteering to fight in the Western Front.

Sadly, 9 years after his return at 38, Walter Arthur Hartley Miller died. He is buried in the AIF Cemetery, West Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia.