Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

James Miller was born at Gatton on 24 Aug 1890, the first of 5 living children of Hames and Sarah Miller.
The first record I found for the Miller family at Wooroolin is an article in the Maryborough Chronicle of Aug 1906 where members of the Miller family attended a function to raise funds for the Wooroolin School. It is possible that the 2 youngest Miller children attended Wooroolin School but the pages for years 1905 to 1908 are missing. In 1908 Edith Miller, sister of James Miller Jnr, married local lad Peter Jessen and James Jnr played football for the Wooroolin team. James Miller, Carpenter, is listed on the 1909 electoral roll at Wooroolin. Perhaps the Miller men were building some of the new shops for the Jessen family at that time.
James Jr, 22 years old, and his parents, James & Sarah are listed on the 1912 Qld electoral roll as living at Wooroolin - occupation Farmers. Portion 312v in the parish of Wooroolin was owned by J Miller Jnr and is sited on right hand side of the road out of Wooroolin towards Tingoora and opposite the Jessen family home where my Great Grandmother lived. In 1913 James was on the committee that organised a Batchelors’ Ball held at Weick’s Hall, Wooroolin along with Charles Malley who is also listed on the Wooroolin WW1 Honour Board.
James Miller Jnr enlisted in the Australian Army on 24 Aug 1915. His army records show that 25 year old James was 5ft 11 inches tall with dark complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His distinguishing features were a scar on right shin. James embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A55 Kyarra on 3 January 1916.
James was original assigned to 13th/15th Battalion then changed to 4th Infantry Brigade. The WW1 nominal roll shows that James served as part of the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade in France and his records show many changes of units and he was in and out of hospital many times – sick. Presumable Influenza or similar illnesses. James certainly served in France for a long long time. The AIF Project records James as part of the 15th Battalion.
In Nov 1917 his father as NOK was advised that James had been admitted to Edmondton Military Hospital, England with Gun Shot count to hand (slight) and that his postal address would be Y/5A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, AIF, Abroad. James remained in England until Jun 1918 before being shipped back to France.
In October, at the request of the Australian Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, the 15th Battalion were withdrawn from the line for rest and reorganisation. They did not return to action before the armistice was signed in November 1918 after which the battalion's strength was slowly reduced as men were individually repatriated back to Australia as part of the demobilisation process.
In Jan 1919 James married Widow Hannah Player in the district of St. George Hanover Square, London. Her husband had died at Gallipoli in Jun 1915.
James returned to Australia in Apr 1919 and Hannah followed soon after. James & Hannah had 2 daughters, Molly born in London and Joan born in 1921 probably at Wondai. The family lived on the home farm at Wooroolin and the girls attended Wooroolin School.
James Jnr was very involved with the Wooroolin community as was his father. James Jnr was secretary of the Wooroolin School committee in 1929. He presided over the Anzac day service in 1933 at the Wooroolin Memorial Hall and was president of the Hall committee in 1934. In 1935 he chaired a meeting of the districts Peanut Growers.
The Miller family were very involved with the Church of England at Wooroolin and the Font at St Andrews Church bears the inscription “To the Memory of James & Sarah Miller who departed this life August & October 1939”.
Greg Stevens, the grandson of James & Hannah, was in my class through school at Wooroolin and lived with his grandparents. His sister Rosemary Law wrote in the school centenary book about their life on the farm named Cheshire Farm
James died in 1959 and is buried at Wondai Cemetery where Hannah joined him in 1965.
Lest We Forget