Alan Miller
Regimental No. 1/405 and 8/2991
25 July 1892 – 14 October 1916
Alan Miller was born on July 25th 1892, in Christchurch, the second child/first son of David and Annie Deuchar Miller. He was one of the first to sign up after declaration of war, attesting at Wellington on 9 August 1914, by which time he was a civil servant employed by the Public Trustee, and living at 192 The Terrace, Wellington. His father was the Inspector of the New Zealand Postal Service.
Alan initially served in the ranks of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as one of the corporals in the Samoa Advance Force. He returned from Samoa in April 1915, and joined Audley Millar on the “Turakina” in May 1915, sailing to England where they joined the 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (Special Reserve) together. Alan was assigned the next regimental number after Audley – 8/2291.
By July 1916 Alan, who had been promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, had been attached to the 72nd Yorkshires on the Somme in rest bivouacs west of Bois Caffet. 2nd Lt Miller saw action in the attack on Guillemont In late July and in October. On 14 October he was in a column marched up to a support area close to Pommiers Redoubt. The column was heavily shelled and Alan, aged 24, was killed in this bombardment. His Commanding Officer wrote, “He was most trustworthy and zealous, a brave and good officer and is a very great loss to the battalion”.
His grave can be visited today in Dartmoor Cemetery at Becordel-Becourt, a tiny hamlet just to the east of Albert, about 16 kilometres south of Bapaume.
Alan's name is not inscribed on the Brooklyn memorial, and he seems to have no connection to Brooklyn/Aro Valley, other than his friendship with Audley Millar. His short story is included on this website only because of the links to Audley and their decision to leave New Zealand together after serving in Samoa.
More information about Alan is available on the Online Cenotaph website
http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C35208?n=1%2F405&w=World%20War%20I%2C%201914-1918&ordinal=0&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch%2F
Regimental No. 1/405 and 8/2991
25 July 1892 – 14 October 1916
Alan Miller was born on July 25th 1892, in Christchurch, the second child/first son of David and Annie Deuchar Miller. He was one of the first to sign up after declaration of war, attesting at Wellington on 9 August 1914, by which time he was a civil servant employed by the Public Trustee, and living at 192 The Terrace, Wellington. His father was the Inspector of the New Zealand Postal Service.
Alan initially served in the ranks of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as one of the corporals in the Samoa Advance Force. He returned from Samoa in April 1915, and joined Audley Millar on the “Turakina” in May 1915, sailing to England where they joined the 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (Special Reserve) together. Alan was assigned the next regimental number after Audley – 8/2291.
By July 1916 Alan, who had been promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, had been attached to the 72nd Yorkshires on the Somme in rest bivouacs west of Bois Caffet. 2nd Lt Miller saw action in the attack on Guillemont In late July and in October. On 14 October he was in a column marched up to a support area close to Pommiers Redoubt. The column was heavily shelled and Alan, aged 24, was killed in this bombardment. His Commanding Officer wrote, “He was most trustworthy and zealous, a brave and good officer and is a very great loss to the battalion”.
His grave can be visited today in Dartmoor Cemetery at Becordel-Becourt, a tiny hamlet just to the east of Albert, about 16 kilometres south of Bapaume.
Alan's name is not inscribed on the Brooklyn memorial, and he seems to have no connection to Brooklyn/Aro Valley, other than his friendship with Audley Millar. His short story is included on this website only because of the links to Audley and their decision to leave New Zealand together after serving in Samoa.
More information about Alan is available on the Online Cenotaph website
http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C35208?n=1%2F405&w=World%20War%20I%2C%201914-1918&ordinal=0&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch%2F