Sir Joseph Holmes Miller (12 February 1919 – 6 February 1986) was a notable New Zealand surveyor, Antarctic explorer and conservationist. He was born in

Waimate Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main No ...

, New Zealand, on 12 February 1919. In May 1958, Miller was awarded the

Polar Medal The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom to individuals who have outstanding achievements in the field of polar research, and particularly for those who have worked over extended periods in harsh climates. It w ...

, and a month later in the 1958 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, in recognition of his role as deputy leader of the New Zealand Trans-Antarctic Expedition. In the

1979 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1979 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1979 to celebr ...

, he was knighted as a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the ...

, for services to the

Ross Dependency The Ross Dependency is a region of Antarctica defined by a sector originating at the South Pole, passing along longitudes 160° east to 150° west, and terminating at latitude 60° south. It is claimed by New Zealand, a claim accepted only b ...

, conservation and surveying. The

Miller Range The Miller Range () is a mountain range extending south from Nimrod Glacier for along the western edge of the Marsh Glacier in Antarctica. Named for J.H. "Bob", now Sir Joseph Holmes Miller, a member of the New Zealand party of the Commonwealth Tr ...

in Antarctica is named in his honour.

References

1919 births 1986 deaths New Zealand surveyors New Zealand conservationists People from Waimate New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire New Zealand Knights Bachelor New Zealand and the Antarctic New Zealand recipients of the Polar Medal {{NewZealand-bio-stub