MILLER, William Henry
| Service Number: | 2735 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 60th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Northcote, Victoria, Australia, 1888 |
| Home Town: | Fitzroy, Yarra, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Napier Street State School, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Boot Finisher |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 19 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Wagga Wagga Cenotaph |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2735, Depot Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2735, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2735, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 15 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 60th Infantry Battalion | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2735, 60th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
His younger brother 2736 Private Robert Charles Miller 60th Battalion was also killed in action at Fromelles 19 July, 1916. Age 26.
In a tragic set of coincidences, the brothers were both married by the age of eighteen to women named Alice,were boot makers by trade, enlisted four days apart, embarked together with consecutive Service Numbers, and died within minutes and a few feet of each other, (although Robert was originally listed as Missing on 19 July, 1916 and confirmed Killed In Action by his Commanding Officer around five weeks later).
William was born in Northcote Victoria, attended Napier St. State School, was a boot finisher, the husband of Alice Miller, of Elizabeth St., North Wagga, NSW. He was a native of Melbourne, 27 years and 8 months old when he died and is remembered at VC Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France, panel 21.
A witness stated in his Red Cross file of the Millers, “They were both in IX Platoon, C Company 60th Bn. On the 19th July 1916; we went over the top at 6.45pm, to attack Fromelles. I saw W. Miller fall first, and his brother ran to speak to him, and he was hit by machine gun fire, I think. One of the same platoon, Alexander, who has lost an eye, and who is I fancy now home, told me that in coming back, he had seen the two brother’s dead. They both came from North Fitzroy, Melbourne.”
Another witness stated "He took part in the attack on Fromelles on the 19th July but did not return. Some time afterwards his disc was returned to the Orderly Room. I saw his disc."
William Henry Miller enlisted and served simply as William Miller and his National Archives appear under this name. He was the young father of a son born in 1914.
A third brother, 1203 Harold Albert Miller 23rd Battalion AIF enlisted in 1915 and returned to Australia in March 1919.
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