Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Walter was born in Kalangadoo near Mount Gambier in the South-east of South Australia on the 28th July 1920. He became known by his middle name, shortened to Reg. He was the youngest son of John Vincent and Lucy Matilda Millard. The town of Kalangadoo was well placed as a Railway linking Naracoorte and Mount Gambier and was also a thriving timber area, as well as being productive for farming livestock, apple orchards and potatoes.
The Millard children attended the local Kalangadoo School where Reg’s sister was frequently amongst the top academic achievers. At the commencement of the ’28 school year the school committee declared a public holiday. Parents, friends, and excited young students were taken to a picnic site on a local farmer’s property by motor car. (The farmer’s son, Bryan Hemmings was a year older than Reg and was later to also enlist as SX8979, rising to become a Captain in the 2/43rd Battalion. Aged 24, he died of his wounds in Egypt on the 5th November ’42.)
That same year at the Prize Evening held in the Riddoch Memorial Hall, the opening of the evening was particularly patriotic. The South Eastern Times reported that ‘The children marched on to the platform and turned to the front on a chord from the piano. The children then waved a welcome to the audience. And at a signal from the piano, all pointed to a streamer which unfurled at the rear of the platform, bearing the words "Lest We Forget" followed soon after by students pointing to the proudly flown Union Jack.
The school year finished with a picnic in December. In ’31 this was held at the local Cricket Grounds and despite the heat, Reg finished the ‘Big Boys’ Race second behind Eric Chuck. (Eric later enlisted and also served in the 2/48th Battalion as SX7666.)
Post school, Reg was employed as a farm hand on the family’s farm. Unfortunately, having just turned eighteen, he was thrown from his bicycle after hitting a submerged tree stump. Many decades before helmets, he sustained a severe cut to his hand, resulting in a trip to Mount Gambier where the local doctor inserted several stitches in the wound. This two-inch scar was still visible when he later enlisted almost four years later.
At that stage, aged 21, Reg volunteered to serve in WWII on the 21st April ’42. He and Albert James Jacob (Later to be SX18509 in the 3rd Australian Guard Company) travelled together by train for Adelaide to undergo their final medical examinations for the army. Reg was allocated the number SX18365 and began training in Tanunda. The following month in May, he returned to Kalangadoo to spend precious leave with his parents and siblings. Other local enlistees who travelled back home with Reg included Ptes. Ken Kilsby SX3783 in the 2/27th and Roy Bennier SX16067 with the 108 Australian Con. Depot who would serve as a carpenter in the Northern Territory.
Initially Reg was placed with the 25th Labour Company and over June and July that year, was able to again return home on extended leave to help on the farm with seeding. On his return he headed to Victoria, embarking from Melbourne to serve overseas, briefly in the Middle East, where he was allocated to the 2/48th Battalion reinforcements, before then returning to Australia via Melbourne at the start of ‘43. Unfortunately, on the voyage back, he contracted pneumonia and spent time in the ship’s hospital.
Following brief leave, Reg headed to Queensland for more training to face a very different enemy in the tropical conditions of New Guinea. He arrived in Milne Bay on the 6th August ’43. Aged just 23, Reg was killed in action in New Guinea on the 20th November ’43, two months after arriving.
At the time dawn patrols were moving through thick bamboo, which meant that fighting was forced to be close combat without the use of mortars or artillery. A sniper in the trees killed two soldiers from the 2/48th Battalion. They were SX7410 Sgt Robert Ranford, a highly respected leader and soldier who had won the Distinguished Conduct Medal and was twice Mentioned in Despatches, and SX18365 Private Walter Millard. Enemy casualties were one hundred. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan recorded that ‘an interesting sidelight of this action was provided by the capture of a Jap soldier’s diary. Norm Puckridge had just moved to one side of our tanks on the rise when he stumbled on to a hole, out of which popped a head. Norm fired and missed, and the Jap hurled a grenade which wounded Harry Gogel. Norm then tossed a grenade into the hole, and the Jap came out and hot-footed it for the bamboos. The tank opened up and the Jap fell.’ One entry in the captured diary read ‘We have found out the enemy is the finest Australian picked division (9th). They have fought against Germans and Italians. They are very good fighters.’
The Advertiser carried the news of Reg’s death in January the following year, advising that Reg and fellow 2/48th battalion soldier, Private Archibald Lindsay SX29019 from Paradise were killed with 2/43rd Corporal Norman Gale, SX5700. The Southern Cross also reported that ‘Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Millard, of Kalangadoo, have been notified that their youngest son, Pte. Reg. Millard, aged 23 years, has been killed in action in New Guinea.’ The Border Watch added that ‘He enlisted in May 1942, and after a few months training was sent to the Middle East. In February 1943, Pte. Millard returned and spent a month's leave in Kalangadoo with his parents. After several months' training at various camps, he went to New Guinea, where he was killed on the 20th of November, 1943. Pte. Millard was very popular and well known in the Kalangadoo district, where he has lived all his life.’
Initially Reg was buried in the field at Satelberg, but in May ’46 he and others were transferred to their final resting place together in the Lae War Cemetery in Plot BB Row C, Grave 14. Resting alongside him are others from the 2/48th Battalion, including 26 year old SX7643 Private Irvine S. Ogilvie, 26 year old SX7410 Sergeant Robert F.G Ranford DCM, 23 year old VX81080 Lieutenant Frederick A. Norton and other fine soldiers from the 2/2nd, 29/46th and 37/52nd Battalions. Reg’s parents chose the inscription ‘We Have You in our Memory, God has you in His Care’.
In the ensuing years, the family continued to remember their son, brother and nephew.
Border Watch Thursday 23 December 1943, MILLARD.-in memory of our dear nephew, killed in action, New Guinea, November 20. Resting in a soldier's grave, Honoured with Australia's brave. Remembered by Uncle Bill, Auntie Nell, and cousins.
Border Watch Saturday 18 November 1944, MILLARD.--In loving memory of our dear son and brother Reg, killed in action, in New Guinea, November 20, 1943. Too dearly loved to ever be forgotten. Honoured with the soldiers brave. Sleeping in a soldier's grave. -Inserted by his father, mother, sister and brothers. MILLARD.-In loving memory of my dear brother, who was killed in action in N.G., November 20, 1943. Deep in our hearts a memory is kept, Of one we loved and will never forget. Inserted by his loving sister and brother in-law, Mollie and Tim. MILLARD.-In loving memory of Pte. Reg Millard, killed in action N.G., November 20, 1943. Ever remembered by his brother Jack, sister-in-law Bernie, niece and nephews.
Border Watch Tuesday 20 November 1945, MILLARD.-In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. Reginald Millard, killed in New Guinea, 20th November, 1943. Sadly missed, his duty nobly done. Ever remembered by his mother, father, sisters and brothers. MILLARD.-In loving memory of our dear brother Reg., who was killed in action at Satelberg, N.G.,1943, November 23. Time goes by, but sweet memories are left Of the one we loved and will never forget. Inserted by his loving sister and brother-in-law Molly, Tim and family.
Border Watch Tuesday 19 November 1946, MILLARD—In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Reg, Killed in action, November 20, 1943 at New Guinea. Sweet, is the .word remembrance, As those few lines. will show; You will always be remembered, As the years come and go. Sadly missed. Inserted by his father, mother, sister and brothers.
With the war at an end, the Kalangadoo R.S.L. met in March ’47 where Reg’s father, John was a guest. He presented an enlarged portrait of his late son Pte. Reg Millard, who paid the supreme sacrifice. This was unveiled by Mr. Geo. McDonald. The Penola Pennant reported that ‘The speaker paid tribute to the sterling qualities of their late comrade and accepted on behalf of the people of Kalangadoo this portrait to be hung in the institute. Mr. Millard thanked members for their kind remarks.’
Reg’s parents lived into their 80’s. His father, John died aged 81 in January ’60 and his mother, Lucy Matilda died aged 87 in October ’63. Both now rest in the Lake Terrace Cemetery at Mount Gambier.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.