Trooper George Simpson Millar was born in 1892 to Thomas Glass Millar and Annie Noble Simpson. He went to Geelong Grammar, but moved to Brisbane Grammar after his family relocated to Brisbane. During his time at these schools he served as a cadet. He and his sister were frequently mentioned in the Brisbane Society columns, holding parties at their home 'Nowranie'. There is a photo in the collection of Nancie in a swimsuit (MM 050491) and there is a newspaper clipping with her wedding notice.

In October 1914, when Millar was 23 years old, he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Forces and was assigned to the 5th Light Horse Regiment, C Squadron. Millar left Australia for Egypt in December 1914 on the HMAT Persic.

The Regiment arrived in Egypt in January 1915 and moved to el-Ma'adi (Meadi) Camp on 2 February 1915. The 5th Light Horse Regiment was billeted at the el-Ma'adi (Meadi) camp until 14 May 1915, when the regiment left for Gallipoli. At Gallipoli George Simpson Millar served as a stretcher-bearer and was described by his fellow soldier Harry Hammond (photographed in MM 050451) as "A chap called George Miller [sic], who was always on the make, telling other people what to do without knowing himself" (memoirs of Harry Hammond). He remained in Gallipoli until August, when he suffered scalded hands and was shipped out on the SS Caledonia to England.

In November 1915 Trooper Millar was granted a provisional discharge to take up a commission as a Second Lieutenant with the Royal Field Artillery, Special Reserve in the British Army. Millar served with the Royal Field Artillery for 2 1/2 years before re-enlisting as a Lieutenant with the Australian Imperial Force in January 1918.

Following his re-enlistment in the AIF Millar was assigned to the 5th Divisional Artillery which served in France, before suffering from asthma and being 'invalided out' to England in August 1918. He returned to Australia in December 1918 on board the Saxon and was discharged in 1919.

In recognition of his services George Millar received the 1914-15 Star and the British War Medal. George Simpson Millar died in Grafton, NSW in 1973.

Trooper Millar appears in images MM 050527; MM 050528; MM 050530; MM 050533; MM 050541; MM 050554; MM 050555, MM 107499, MM 05035, MM 050437, MM 050427, MM 050434, MM 050463 and MM 050487.

References:

The AIF Project
Ancestry.com
Australian War Memorial
The National Archives of Australia
NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/19546555 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/23594832
Harry Hammond's memoirs Australian War Memorial: PR01775

More Information