THERE were 556 servicemen from Collie and surrounding districts who embarked for overseas service during WWI, 17 of these were taken Prisoner of War (POW).
The following are the records of two soldiers.
MILLER, Joseph
JOSEPH Miller was born in Wexford, Ireland.
He moved with his wife Lurline Merould Miller to Australia and lived at Huntley Farm in Collie.
A farm labourer, private Miller enlisted on April 10, 1916 at Helena Vale. Service records show age discrepancy at enlistment, he was actually 29 years.
Taken on strength with the 16th Battalion, on February 17, 1917.
He was reported Missing in Action on April 11, 1917, while serving in Bullecourt, France and subsequently reported wounded and as a prisoner of war in Germany.
He died while prisoner of war on 07 July 1917, age 30.
The official German report, dated 09/10/17, showed he was shot and killed while attempting to escape. He was buried by Germans at Military Cemetery (British Extension) St Laube Valenciennes, France.
RED CROSS PRISONER OF WAR (POW) FILE EXTRACTS 6297:
MILLER Joseph ON March 20 1918 an extract from a German Red Cross letter read:
“The British soldier 6297. Pte. Joseph Miller 16th AIF “C” Company died at St. Saulve Camp and is buried in Valenciennes Cemetery Grave No. 259.
“At present we have no futher details, but we will commence investigations and will forward you any results of same.”
On June 3 1918 a letter from the German Red Cross stated:
“According to the Death List before us of British soldiers, Pte. Joseph Miller 16th Battalion AIF, “C” Company died 7/07/1917 as a result of G.S.W abdomen and was buried in the soldiers cemetery Valenciennes Grave No. 761 Coffin No. 259.
“We have no further details.”
COPY OF THE DECISION OF THE COURT OF ENQUIRY
TO the English Prisoner Battalion: The English Prisoner of War No. 6297, Joseph Miller escaped from the prison Camp at Saint Saulve in the night from 6-7 July 1917 and was shot by the guard in his flight because he did not obey the command to halt.
Death supervened on 7/07/1917 between 12.15 and 12.30am as a result of gunshot wound.
That death resulted from a gunshot wound is confirmed by the Inquest held. Miller is buried in this soldier cemetery: Grave 18. Coffin 159. Seal, Prisoner Kommanditive.”
GERMAN COURT OF ENQUIRY COVER-UP
A NUMBER of fellow Prisoners of War witness statements are on Private Miller’s National Archives File.
There is no doubt that Miller was returning into the camp after searching for food on the outside of the wall due to his starved condition.
The following extract from a statement by 2370 Lance corporal Tomley of the 16th Battalion A.I.F is believed to be the most accurate description of Miller’s death:
“He was in a starved condition and broke out of the camp to get potatoes from a neighbouring garden.
It was on his return to camp that he was shot through the heart by a sentry from a distance of a few yards at 11pm.”
SUCKLING, Charles George
BORN in Perth, Charles George Suckling enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy when he was 19 years old.
His family lived on Johnstone Street in Collie.
Mr Suckling served on several ships prior to WWI. When war broke out he was serving on the Australian Submarine, AE2.
The AE2 was damaged by a Turkish Warship (and then scuttled by her crew), in the Dardanelles on April 30, 1915.
All crew were taken Prisoners of War and spent the next three and a half years in Turkish Prisoner of War camps.
He was repatriated to Alexandria (from Turkey), on November 21, 1918; returned to Australia 1919 and discharged April 24, 1919.
Acknowledgements and thanks to the volunteers at the Collie-Cardiff RSL for their invaluable contribution to this story.
