Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

William Miller, (12 May 1892 – 12 April 1962) was a British

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, who was credited with six aerial victories. Miller worked in the Royal Air Force Educational Service between the World Wars. He returned to service for the Second World War, rising to the rank of Squadron Leader.

Early life and British Army

Miller was born in

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

on 12 May 1892, and graduated from

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

before joining the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

at the start of the First World War. He first served as a second lieutenant in a Reserve Battalion of the

Northumberland Fusiliers The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution an ...

until 15 July 1915, when he was transferred to the 20th (Service) Battalion (1st

Tyneside Scottish Tyneside Scottish is an honour title which has been held by a variety of British Army units since 1914. The Regiments which have held the title are the Northumberland Fusiliers, Durham Light Infantry, Black Watch and Royal Artillery. The Tynesid ...

), for service in France. Miller was promoted to lieutenant on 1 January 1917, and was appointed an acting captain while serving as a

company commander A company commander is the commanding officer of a company, a military unit which typically consists of 100 to 250 soldiers, often organized into three or four smaller units called platoons. The exact organization of a company varies by country, ...

from 31 May 1917 until 17 January 1918.

Combat pilot and flying ace

Miller then transferred to the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

, and was granted a commission as a second lieutenant (honorary lieutenant) on 15 May 1918, to serve as an observer officer. Miller was posted to

No. 18 Squadron RAF No. 18 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook (UK variants), Boeing Chinook from RAF Odiham. Owing to its heritage as a bomber squadron, it is also known as No. 18 (B) Squadron. History First World War The squadron was fo ...

on 4 April, only days after the Royal Flying Corps and the

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

were merged to form the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(RAF), to fly in the

Airco DH.4 The Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco) was an early British aircraft manufacturer. Established during 1912, it grew rapidly during the First World War, referring to itself as the largest aircraft company in the world by 1918. Air ...

two-seater day bomber. He gained his first aerial victories while flying with Captain

David A. Stewart David Allan Stewart (born 9 September 1952) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for Eurythmics, his successful professional partnership with Annie Lennox. Sometimes credited as David A. Stewart, he won Best British ...

, accounting for two

Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII qu ...

on 30 May 1918. From then on he flew with Captain George Darvill, shooting down four more D.VIIs, one each on 8 and 28 July, and two on 4 September. Miller was wounded in action on 6 September 1918. On 1 January 1919 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. On 12 June 1919 Miller was transferred to the RAF's Administrative Branch, and then to the unemployed list on 10 October. He relinquished his commission in the Northumberland Fusiliers "on account of ill-health caused by wounds" on 2 November, retaining the rank of lieutenant, but did not relinquish his RAF commission until 30 June 1921, after accepting an appointment in the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...

Post-war and later life

Miller served as a Civilian Education Officer in the Royal Air Force Educational Service throughout the 1920s and 1930s, serving in Iraq and the Far East. On the outbreak of the Second World War, Miller returned to military service, being commissioned as a

flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...

in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch of the

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U.K. Royal Air Force in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF ...

on 1 September 1939. He was promoted to

squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

on 1 December 1941. After serving in Britain, Egypt and South Africa, Miller eventually resigned his commission on 3 June 1946, retaining the rank of squadron leader.

References

Bibliography

* Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory (2008). ''Above The War Fronts: A Complete Record of the British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918.'' Grub Street Publishing. , {{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, William 1892 births 1962 deaths Military personnel from Newcastle upon Tyne Royal Northumberland Fusiliers officers Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II Alumni of Armstrong College, Durham British Army personnel of World War I Royal Air Force squadron leaders