The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Miller
- First Name:
- Albert
- Nick Name:
- Alby
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX7885
- Company:
- 'C' Company, 11 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 13.08.1940
- Discharged:
- 4.02.1946
- DOB:
- 16.12.1913
- Place of Birth:
- Collie, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Thomas Miller
- Mothers's Name:
- Eliza Miller (nee Brannie)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Miner
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp & Barracks Changi. Returned from Thailand to Sime Road Camp, Changi Gaol Camp.
- Force:
- H' Force Thailand, Group No. 3
- Camps Thailand:
- Kanu II Malayan Hamlet, Kanu IIIa (Tampie North), Kanchanaburi.
- Return Details 1945:
- Singapore-Darwin-Sydney, HMT Arawa, Sydney-Melbourne by troop train, Melbourne-Fremantle, HMT Strathmore.
General Description
Climie died Japan, Dewar suicided Perth end 1947, Cousins and Minchin perished when ‘Rakuyo’ Maru sank 1944 South China Sea and Squire was KIA Singapore.
Alby was selected as a POW Singapore to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘H’ Force No. 3 Group.
Read about Alby at Malayan Hamlet Camp.
Read further ‘H’ Force Thailand, Group No. 3
Alby worked at Konyu II Malayan Hamlet, Tampie North – Kanu IIIA and sent to Kanchanburi 11 Sept 1943.
Please read about ‘H’ Force Thailand.
He was hospitalised with fractured right hand 30 June to 8 Jul 1943 at Malayan Hamlet.
He worked with Arthur Gamble at Tampie North Kanu IIIA.
Hospitalised Kanchanburi Malaria 1 Oct 1943.
Alby returned to Singapore, Sime Road Dec 1943.
He was hospitalised Changi Malaria 8 May 1944.
Was recovered from Changi 4 Sept 1945.
‘Eric Watt of ‘C’ Coy was hospitalised in Singapore at Changi with a very bad abscess. Watt apparently had a lot of sickness up north, beri beri, malaria and dysentery. He speaks highly of Leith and Miller of ‘C’ Coy. They did an amazing job for other machine gunners in looking after and washing them and also in scrounging food for them. Stories such as this help to restore one’s faith in human nature.’
The above was an entry in Tom Buninng’s diary relating to H3 Group at Malayan Hamlet. Tom Bunning remained at Singapore throughout the war with Garden Party.
———-
Albert’s parents Thomas Miller and Eliza Brannie were born in Cumberland England and married there in 1900. The couple had 5 children when they migrated to Western Australia after 1911 and before Albert was born in Collie in 1913. He was the first of 4 sons born in Collie, Western Australia making a total of 9 children including 2 daughters.
Alby married in 1939 at Northam to Violet May Baker. Violet was born in Kalgoorlie in 1917 and twin to Phyllis Lorraine Baker who married Paul William Nbyo in 1937 East Coolgardie, twin brother to Chris Nybo and brothers of WX143277 Lawrance (Roy) Nybo from 2/4th who died in Thailand 1943.
Alby’s father died in 1950.
Alby was one of the Collie boys who survived and returned home.
Please read further about Collie.
Alby died January 1985 at Jurien Bay. Violet died in 2003.
Camp Locations:
- Changi Gaol Camp - Singapore
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Sime Road Camp - Singapore
- Malay Hamlet 153.00km - Thailand
