MILLER,
Frank - Sergeant
49081, 82nd Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Died 5 February
1919. Aged 28. Son of Charles and Mercy Miller, of Woodside Villas,
Hellingly, Sussex; husband of Emily E. H. Miller, of Home Farm,
Hodsall Street, Wrotham, Kent. Buried in Tiflis British Cemetery.
Commemorated on HAIDAR PASHA MEMORIAL, Turkey (including Gallipoli).
Screen Wall. Panel 15.
FRANK
MILLER 1890-1919
Son of Charles
and Mercy Susan Miller. Frank was born in Eastbourne on the 10th
June 1890 and was baptised in St Mary's church on the 6th July.
He went to school first at Wilmington and later Jevington on leaving
school he started work at the Star Brewery in Eastbourne in the
bottling department.
About 1907
or 8 he joined the army and served in the 1st Battalion of the
Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry. In about 1911 he married Emily
Streetley, the marriage took place in Eastbourne, a daughter was
born in 1912 she was named Nellie. At this time Frank's regiment
was stationed at Gravesend in Kent and I believe it was here he
was discharged from the army and placed on the reserve list.
Frank joined
the East Sussex Police doing his training in Lewes, later being
stationed at Crowborough, East Sussex, Were he lived with his
family in a police house, he was still at Crowborough when war
was declared with Germany on the 4th August 1914. He immediately
received his orders to rejoin his regiment at Curragh in Ireland,
on the 13th August the 1st Battalion of The Duke of Cornwall Light
Infantry sailed from Dublin, two days later they landed at Le
Harve in France from there they marched to Belguim and dug in
along the Mons / Conde canal at 6 a.m. on the 23rd August the
British and the German army made contact and the "Battle
of Mons" started for the next fourteen days the D.C.L.I.
with other regiments were engaged in a fighting withdrawal, after
much hard fighting over some 240 miles they brought the Germans
to a halt just outside Paris and the next four years of murderous
trench warfare commenced. Some when, during his service in France,
I think about 1916, Frank was transferred to the Machine Gun Corp
and was sent out to Salonica serving with the 82nd Company, Machine
Gun Corps (Infantry) and was engaged in fighting the Turks. Some
when during his army service either pre-war or early after the
commencement of war he was promoted to Sergeant.
Late in
1918 civil war had broken out in Russia and the 82nd were sent
from Salonica to Georgia, South Russia as a part of what was known
as "punster Force" to assist the White Russians in their
fight against the Reds. He landed at Batumi and they worked their
way up country to Tifilis it was here that Frank who had suffered
from malaria whilst serving in Salonica went down with a severe
attack of the disease and died on the 5th February 1919 and was
buried in the British Military Cemetery his grave being Plot 1
Row A Grave No 3. As history tells us the Reds won the civil war
and they would not allow "The Commonwealth War Graves Commission"
into Russia to maintain the British Cemeteries in Russia so the
names of the fallen are inscribe on the War Memorial that stands
In The British Military Cemetery at Haida Pasha on the side of
the Bosphorous Sea in Turkey. His name is also inscribe on The
War Memorial at Crowborough and on a tablet in the Police Station
in the town of Lewes. There is a error in the official records
over his place of death The War Grave Commission gives the place
of death as Tifilis and his death certificate issued by the Registrar
of Deaths gives it as Salonica. I have been in touch with the
Chief Registrar in London and The War Graves Commission about
this error but neither can come up with a answer but from other
evidence I hold and knowing my aunt corresponded at one time with
a lady living in Tifilis and a photograph of the grave taken soon
after burial I am sure Tifilis is correct, I believe the error
possibly occurred because although the company was in Russia I
think their Headquarters who would have kept the records was still
in Salonica, of course I cannot prove this after all these years.
Frank's
wife died in the sixties and in recent years his daughter also,
I believe there is a granddaughter living near Meopham in Kent
but I do not know her married name and we have lost touch with
each other.
|
Frank
Miller 2nd from left kneeling behind machine gun, date 1910 |
|
Frank
Miller, East Sussex Police date 1913 |
|
Frank
and Emily Miller with daughter Nellie. date 1912. |
|
A
copy of the Death Certificate of Frank Miller, note the
difference in place of death to that given below by the
Commonwealth War Craves Commission. |
|
|
British
Military Cemetery, Tifilis, Georgia, South Russia.
The grave of Sgt Frank Miller, 82nd Machine Gun Company.
Died 5th February 1919. Photograph taken within a few days
of burial. |