LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Frederick William MILLER
Service No: 17364
Born: Boulder WA, 16 November 1906
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 July 1940
Unit: No. 14 Aircraft Repair Depot, Gorrie, NT
Died: Ground Accident, Pell, NT, 21 April 1944, Aged 37 Years
Buried: Adelaide River War Cemetery, NT
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Alexander and Mary Ann Miller; husband of Nellie Margaret Miller, of Nedlands, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 103, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
On 21 April 1944 an explosion occurred at the Mobile Oxygen Plant which was being operated at No. 4 Repair and Salvage Unit (RSU) by the detachment from No 14 Aircraft Depot when an oxygen bottle burst. LAC Herbert Charles Hoffmann (76459) was killed instantly. Flying Officer Frederick William Miller (17364) was injured and died shortly after being admitted to No 1 Medical Receiving Station. Their funerals took place at 1800 hours that day in the presence of the Commanding Officer 4 RSU and a large number of personnel from the unit. The deceased were buried in the Adelaide River War Graves Cemetery.
Venn, W. J. (Walter) (137510) Restore to Service: Unit History 4RSU-482 Maintenance Squadron, Australian Military History Publications Loftus NSW 2232, 1999 – Page 52
On 21 April1944 at Pell airfield, Flying Officer Miller was engaged on oxygen plant duties when an oxygen bottle exploded and he was killed. Miller’s initial muster was that of Fitter IIE qualified to handle and instruct airmen on the use and maintenance of fire appliances at the WA Fire Board, Perth. On 4 December 1942 he was granted a Commission in the Administrative & Special Duties Branch, and late 1942 was at No. 2 Aircraft Depot in the appointment of Supervisor/Instructor Engineer duties, Mobile Oxygen Processing Plant.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/27/403