Lt Archibald William Buchanan Miller

[eve]

Hi all

Wednesday 13th July sees the anniversary of the death of Lt Archibald Miller He was the younger son of Rev Thomas Duncan Miller and Mrs Margaret Julia Grant Miller of Kirkurd Manse, Peeblesshire. He was in the Royal Flying Corps attached from 1st Battalion KOSB. He was only 21 when his Nieuport Scout was shot down over Belguim by Hans von Adam of Jasta 6. (info taken from www.theaerodrome.com). He is buried at Harlebeke New British Cemetery in Belguim.

His older brother Lt Thomas Alexander Grant Miller was killed in action - also aged 21 - on 26th April 1915 at Gallipoli. He is remembered at Hellas Memorial.

Their great uncle was Gen Sir Archibald Galloway KCB.

The reason I am particularly interested in these young brothers is that it was the brass memorial to them that triggered my interest in the local Roll of Honour.

Any other information would be appreciated.

Evelyn

[Jim_Grundy]

Evelyn

From, "To What End Did They Die? Officers Died at Gallipoli" by R.W. Walker:

"Lieutenant Thomas Alexander Grant Miller, 1st Bn. The King's Own Scottish Borderers. Born 16th December 1893, the son of Reverend T.D. Miller and Margaret Julia of Peebleshire. Educated at Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College. Attended R.M.C. Sandhurst, being gazetted in the K.O.S.B. in 1914. Lieutenant 1915. Killed in action 26th April 1915. No known grave. Commemorated Helles Memorial."

There could be a roll of honour for Fettes or, failing that, the librarian at the school could well help.

Hope this is of use.

Cheers,

Jim

[Lost in Tilloy]

Evelyn

The Book 'Officers Died in the Great War' lists them both under the King's Own Scottish Borderers as follows:

Miller, Archibald William Buchanan, Lt., died, 13/7/17 (and RFC) (In Ger. hands)

Miller, Thomas Alexander Grant, Lt., k. in a., 27/4/15.

Im noted the older brother was quoted as dying on the 27th of April as oppossed to the 26th that you mentioned earlier.

LIT

[brownag]

Evelyn

I haven't got my list of Scottish rolls of honour to hand but both the Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College would have ones, and would probably quite detailed about the pre-war lives of those who died.

There were also two books produced about sons of ministers. One listing those serving in the war (from 1915) and the other those who died (from post-war). The title is something like "Sons of the Manse". You probably wont get much more than you already have from what I can remember of them.

Both brothers are listed on the Fettes College Memorial as KOSB.

Can I ask you what plaque and roll of honour you referred to in your original post?

Thanks

Adam

[Malcolm]

LIEUT. THOMAS A. G. MILLER

(KIRKURD)

IST K.O.S.B.

1915. APWL 25.

Lieutenant T. A. G. Miller, 1st K.O.S.B.,

who was killed in the landing at the Dardanelles,

was the elder son of the Rev. T. D.

and Mrs Miller, Manse of Kirkurd, Peeblesshire;

Grandson of Thomas Miller, LL.D.,

Justice of the Peace of the County of Perth,

and a great nephew of General Sir Archibald

Galloway, K.C.B.

Lieutenant Miller was educated at Edinburgh

Academy and afterwards at Fettes College.

Besides gaining awards at both schools,

he distinguished himself in the playing fields.

He was a three-quarter back in Fettes XV. of

1911-12, and in school sports won the open

mile. He also won the Potts prize in the

same year, as the best gymnast of the school.

He entered Sandhurst in 1912, and played full

back for the College team in the last match

that he played, against Woolwich; and filled

the same position in the Combined Woolwich

and Sandhurst match against the Army in

London. He received his commission in the

K.O.S.B., and joined the 1st Battalion at

Lucknow in the spring of 1914. He returned

home with the regiment in December, 1914.

Lieutenant Miller fell in leading an assault

against one of the Turkish machine guns at

the Dardanelles, Sunday, April 25.

His brother, A. W. B. Miller, was to fall on

July 13, 1917.

LIEUT. ARCHIBALD B. MILLER

(KIRKURD)

KINO'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS

(ATTACHED ROYAL FLYING CORPS)

1917. JULY 13.

Lieutenant Archibald William Buchanan

Miller, K.O.S.B. (att. R.F.C.), formerly reported

missing, Friday, July 13th, 1917, now

believed killed (says the "Court Journal"),

was the younger son of the Rev. T. D. and

Mrs Miller, of Kirkurd, Peeblesshire. He

was educated at Fettes College, where he

acquitted himself with distinction, and

played in the 1st XI. and the 1st XV. He

entered Sandhurst in 1914, and was gazetted

to the 1st Battalion of the King's Own Scottish

Borderers. On attaining his nineteenth

year, June 21st, 1915, he was sent as Second-

Lieutenant in command of a large draft

to the Dardanelles, and was promoted full

Lieutenant. After the evacuation he served

with his regiment in France as adjutant.

In 1916 Lieutenant Miller received a commission

in the Royal Flying Corps. A fellowofficer

writes of him :—" We used to love it

when he came ' stunting ' over us either at

work or in the evening. We all thought him

extraordinarily courageous, and he could

do almost anything with the machine. I

suppose you know that he was recommended

for the Military Cross for doing several good

things over the line." Another officer writes:

—" His career in the infantry was very meritorious,

his career in the Flying Corps was

brilliant. He is a great loss to all who

knew him." " All who knew him say as a

soldier and an airman he was absolutely

fearless." Lieutenant Miller was a grandson

of the late Thomas Miller, Esq., LL.D.,

F.R.S.E., Rector of Perth Academy, and of

the late Alexander Grant, Esq., of Monkstown,

Co. Cork, and a grand nephew of the

late General Sir Archibald Galloway, K.C.B.,

Chairman of the Honourable East India

Company. His elder brother, Lieutenant

Thomas Alexander Grant Miller, 1st Battalion,

K.O.S.B., fell at the landing on

Gallipoli, on April 25, 1915.

Aye

Malcolm

[eve]

Oh dear

I don't know how I missed this but a very belated thank you to all who replied to my original post.

I now have quite a bit of info on these brothers. One particularly moving story I discovered came from a report on the unveiling of the Kirkurd War Memorial in the Peeblesshire Advertiser in October 1919. A local minister, Rev Muir from Skirling, said of Archibald Miller " A favourite at school, he was the same in the army. The soldiers had confidence in him. When he was in the air above him they frequently said " It's Lieutenant Miller, no fear, we are all right". He was daring and eminently successful, having brought down a number of Hun aeroplanes. Where duty called him there he was found, regardless of danger. The night before he was killed he messed with the brother officers of his old battalion and was in good spirits. That same day was the annual picnic at the Manse given to the children of the parish and on that occasion those of us who were present will remember his mother read a letter from the Lieutenant in which he expressed the hope that all would have plenty to eat and that they would enjoy themselves. Among the prizes he sent for the children were miniature aeroplanes which should be prized by those who won them. The Lieutenant jocularly wrote that if he could get off duty he would fly to Kirkurd and have some fun with the children, and so his father scanned the clouds and peered as far as he could see, but no Lieutenant was visable. A few hours later, flying in the German lines and engaged in aerial combat, he met his end."

Archibald and Thomas were the only children of Rev Thomas and Mrs Margaret Miller.

Evelyn

[Malcolm]

Evelyn

From, "To What End Did They Die? Officers Died at Gallipoli" by R.W. Walker:

"Lieutenant Thomas Alexander Grant Miller, 1st Bn. The King's Own Scottish Borderers.  Born 16th December 1893, the son of Reverend T.D. Miller and Margaret Julia of Peebleshire.  Educated at Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College.  Attended R.M.C. Sandhurst, being gazetted in the K.O.S.B. in 1914.  Lieutenant 1915.  Killed in action 26th April 1915.  No known grave.  Commemorated Helles Memorial."

There could be a roll of honour for Fettes or, failing that, the librarian at the school could well help.

Hope this is of use.

Cheers,

Jim

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You should get in touch with Dr Diana Henderson at Fettes. Dr Henderson is author of several books and a trustee of the Scottish National War Memorial.

Aye

Malcolm

[eve]

Thanks for that Malcolm

Evelyn