November (26.0 MB) - Senior Connector

November 2011 Senior Connector www.seniorconnector.com Page 23Lest We ForgetRemembering — Flight Sergeant William Francis MillerdBy Marie Slade (niece)A wonderful piece waswritten about my UncleBill, whom I never met butfeel drawn to through themany recollections of myfamily. My cousin, FrankMillerd, researched hisuncle’s war time experiencesand drew together his storyfor our family. I thankhim most heartedly forhis work on behalf of us. Ishare this now, as a tributeto young Bill and hope Imight shed a little lighton those experiences ofour present day soldiers inthese troubled times and thecourage they display.William (Bill) FrancisMillerd was born and raisedin Vancouver and PrinceRupert. He applied to theRCAF on May 29, 1940, asthe Dunkirk evacuation wastaking place. His interviewerwrote “that he was very keento join, wants to be a pilotand will probably be OKas such, but to get in haschosen Observer Course.He is of the right type. Welleducated, good demeanorand correct attitude.” Hewas considered “fullyqualified in personal respectsfor commissioned rank” andrecommended for pilot. (1)June 26, 1940, the newlyenlisted trainee left theToronto Manning Depot forwireless school in Calgaryand then on to bombingand gunnery training inMossbank, Saskatchewanwhere he also took his airgunner courses. Boarding,most likely, the Georgic, aCunard White Star linerin Halifax, he left for theUnited Kingdom on April10, 1941. (2)When he reachedEngland, he attended radioschool and underwentvarious operational trainingcourses, where the specialistsfor a crew trained together.He wrote in his lettershome about his food andhis quarters, remarkingabout the difficulty inkeeping warm in hisaccommodations. “This fireplace is our main attractionin this house. Ken and Ispend half our day gettingit going, and trying to solvethe mysteries of the drafts.”(April 25, 1941). He noted,“For breakfast we had, tomy amazement, herrings intomato sauce!” The familymust have smiled with himat that, as the family wasin the cannery business onthe Pacific Coast and wereWilliam Francis MillerdSubmitted photowartime suppliers of thevery thing!In September 1941, UncleBill was selected for pilottraining and recommendedfor commissioning as anofficer. He wrote home thatit would be several monthsbefore seeing action as anair gunner. (Letter, Sept.3,1941) He was finallyassigned after nine monthsin England to an operationalbomber squadron, the408 (RCAF) Squadronstationed then at Baldron,Nottinghamshire.The squadron flewHandley Page Hampdenmedium bombers, servingthe RAF on the front lineat the beginning of thewar. In 1932 the BritishAir Ministry had requesteda twin-engine, mediumday bomber be built.The Handley Page hadtwin Bristol Pegasus ninecylinder radial engines.All metal, it had a deepfuselage to accommodatebombs, extremely narrowat one meter wide, withtwin tail booms to supportits twin-finned tail. It wasnicknamed “the flyingsuitcase”, “the flying tadpole”and “ferocious frying pan”!The narrowed fuselage’saerodynamic streamliningmeant that it was difficultfor the four man crew tomove around. As such, thepilot could not be replacedif necessary and there couldnot be powered turret gunsfor its defense. (3)It carried a crew of four,a pilot positioned forward,high up in the fuselage, anavigator forward in thenose, a wireless operator/gunner perched in the toprear fuselage spot and the2nd wireless operator/gunner crammed downinto the lower rear fuselage.My Uncle Bill occupiedthis latter turret position.A former pilot commentedthat the “rear bottomgunner had the least spaceof all. How the gunnersever folded themselves intotheir positions, I’ve oftenwondered.” (4) “The gunnerscould often spend very long,very boring hours staringout into space. But they hadto remain alert and vigilantconstantly looking forenemy fighters. Constrictedin their tiny turrets theirjoints stiffened and theirbottoms became absolutelynumb.” (5)The Hampden wasdesigned to carry mines.Mines were laid inenemy shipping channels,waterways and harboursto thwart the Germanmerchant marine. It couldcarry two 250 lb. delayedaction bombs under eachwing, as was the caseduring Bill’s fatal flight.The Hampdens and theircrews significantly impactedthe Germans’ shipping,and tied up critical enemyresources but not withoutsignificant loss to theBomber Squadron. TheGermans positioned flakbatteries on the shippingchannels’ shores and hadarmed mine sweepers,fishing boats and other shipswith flak guns ending someruns in disaster with manyplanes lost. For example, onMarch 27/28 1942, fifteenHampdens were sent tolay mines on the Germannorthwest coast. Three, withall veteran crews were notheard from again. “BetweenApril 13/14,1940 the firstHampden mine layingflight, and July 12/13,1942,the last, 75 Hampdenswent missing with 260crew members killed, 42became prisoners of warand one escaped captureand managed to return toEngland.” (6)In 1995, the pilot thatflew my Uncle Bill’s lastflight wrote a letter tomy family recalling thatlast operation for us. Hehad come to realize overthe years that there wasnothing he could havedone differently. He hadto carry out is duty, but hewanted the family to knowof the crew’s bravery anddedication. They had laidtheir mine at the necessaryaltitude of 700 ft and werestill flying the low altitude,when they came upon themine sweeper they hadspotted on the way over. Hehad previously discusseda plan of attack with hiscrew and it was unanimousthat they would fly overthe ship on their way backto England, release theirtwo 250 lb. bombs, the twogunners raking the ship withmachine-gun fire. The pilotrecalled that he had linedup with the target and hadto slide back the windscreento get a better view asthe moon was shiningblindingly bright. The pilotrecalls the ship openingfire hitting the port engine,fire racing along the wing.As their altitude was onlyabout 200-300 ft., screamedat each other trying to helpone another. On November11, 2007, the pilot recalledthat disastrous flight toan interviewer from theToronto Star, “Skipper we’vebeen hit…No, no there’sno time!” Helpless, theywere catapulted into thefrigid Baltic Sea. The pilotrecovered consciousness in aGerman Hospital, a prisonerof war, having been thrownout of the plane. The rest ofthe crew went down withtheir bomber. My uncle Billdied after only seven weeksof missions on May 16 th ,1942 at the age of 24.His body drifted ashoreat Odder, south of Aarhus,Denmark, on Sept. 12,1942.The Aarhus Chief of Policenoted a funeral would beheld and later described it.The German commanderhad come to his office,telling him of a recoveredEnglishman’s body andthat it was to be buried thefollowing day. They buriedmy uncle Bill with militaryhonours, recognizing hisdeath in the line of duty,his rank and perhapsappreciating his youthfulcourage. Pictures, most likelyby those Danes present,were taken and eventuallyforwarded to the family,show the German DefenseForce was represented bythe commanding majorand two other officers.They processed graveside accompanied by a 21piece military band and 30soldiers. The police chiefand three Danish militarypersonnel also attended.The coffin was drapedwith an “English flag” andthe German padre readthe service. Wreaths wereprovided by the GermanDefense Force, the AarhusCity Council and the PoliceChief at the grave side.Three volleys were fired inthe ensuing silence. (7)It would seem that anamazing grace surroundedmy young uncle in hisdeath. The Germans’deliberate efforts to honoura life, not knowing Bill,but perhaps recognizing inhim a soldier carrying outhis duty, an energetic son,a carefree brother, full ofthe devilment and a friend,loyal to the last, were quietlycarried out across the oceanon a family’s behalf andunbeknownst to them.The pilot should yearslater summon the courageto contact my family todescribe his crew’s last hour.In total agreement, fouryoung men focused all theircourage to do somethingthey believed in, to helpmake a difference. Theyfaced their destiny withdetermination and strength,quietly accepting whatmight come and in fact did.Cared for by the very peoplethey tried to stop, they restnow in peace and in Grace.The Province of B.C.named and dedicatedMillerd Point off theprovince’s coast to my uncleBill Millerd for his serviceand life. It is so named, LestWe Forget.1Attestation Paper,William Millerd.See Flight Sergeant Millerd page 24Books for EveryoneSheet MusicMoviesRecords and CDs2011November 12-26Sahali MallInformation 250-372-5000Most items only $2Donations gratefully accepted