MILLER, Harold George James
| Service Number: | 2073 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 June 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Birkenhead, Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Lilydale State School |
| Occupation: | Bricklayer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Fromelles, , France, 20 July 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
VC Corner Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, France VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2073, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2073, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Miltiades embarkation_ship_number: A28 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Feb 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2073, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Miltiades, Adelaide | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2073, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
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Embarked Adelaide, 7 February 1916; disembarked Suez, 11 March 1916 on the HMAT Miltiades.
Proceeded to 32nd Bn from 8th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 1 April; taken on strength of 32nd Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 1 April 1916.
Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.
The 32nd Battalion then transited the Mediterranean Sea and landed in France at Marseilles on the 23 June 1916. From here they were then moved by train arriving in northern France near the 'Nursery' section of the front line near Armentieres and a little village called Fromelles. Many of the soldiers had remarked at the beautiful farming country through which they passed on their way north. For many it was a stark contrast the Middle East and even the surburnt landscapes of their homeland.
The 5th Division was last into the sector. By then the other divisions had begun to move south in preparation for their part in the soon to be launched Somme Offensive. By mid July only the 5th Division remained. They were told they were to take part in a major attack - the first Division-level engagment by the AIF on the Western Front.
A and C Companies of the 32nd Battalion formed up on the extreme left of the 5th Division assault formation before launching their attack at 6:00pm on the night of the 19/20 of July 1916. The attack was a disaster. While the 32nd Battalion achieved initial success on its axis of advance, unlike many other battalions that night, when they continued advancing towards what they throught were the second and third German Trench lines, all they found were drainage ditches.
The 32nd tried to consolidate its position as best they could, but they had over extended realtive to their flanking units and were subjected to deadly 'enfilade fire' from their flanks and strong German counter-attacks. They were progressively cut off and were either driven back to their own lines, killed or captured. (See Wesley Paul Choat's account of the withdrawal - sidebar link.)
After the withdrawal many Australian soldiers were left dead or wounded near German line and Harold James imay have been one of these. The Germans buried many of them in six mass graves behind Pheasant Wood just outside of the town of Fromelles.
These graves were discovered in 2008 after the work of Melbourn school teacher Lambis Eglesios, and exhumed in 2010. Through DNA analysis many soldiers have been identified. So far Harold Miller has not been one of these. He is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at VC Corner Cemetery. Whether in the future he will be identified is open to conjecture; in the meantime he remains a soldier 'Known Unto God.'
Posted missing, 20 July 1916.
Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 12 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'.
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Private HGJ Miller was the brother of my Great Grandmother, Agnes McKay. She was listed as his next of kin and discovered his fate in the newspaper. She wrote to the Dept of Defence to find out more. We had his medal but it was stolen about 20 years ago.
Lynda Winter Aug 2014
Agnes McKay nee Miller was also my Great Grandmother. She was Harold Miller's sister and names his next of kin. Agnes used to stay with our family; she was quite the story teller but never spoke of her brother.
Lyn O'Grady (nee McKay) June 2015
Click images to start slideshow.