L/Cpl 57558 Bertie Millar

• Age: 24
• From: Dundee
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Bertie Millar was born in 1894 in St Andrew, Dundee, the son of Andrew Millar and Agnes Jane Kinnear (née Adams), who married in 1893 at Auchterderran. His father was born in Collessie, Forfarshire, in 1868, and his mother in St. Cyrus, Kincardineshire, in 1870. 

In 1901 the family lives in Charlotte Place, Rose Street, Dundee.  His father is aged 33 , and a Police Constable, his mother is 31 with no occupation listed, and Bertie is 7. 

He had a younger sister Isabella, born in 1908, and a younger brother James who was born in 1912.

Unfortunately, the 1911 Scotland census is only available on subscription. 


Prior to joining up in 1916 Bertie was in the employment of J. B. White, Ltd., wholesale stationers, Cowgate, Dundee.

He enlisted in Dundee and was formerly 810, in the Army Cyclist Corps. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Bertie enlisted in early 1916.

Following a transfer he was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 57558 when he was killed in action on the 28^th March, 1918, aged about 24, during the German Spring Offensive. However, the date is subject to further consideration. His dependents pension records his date of death as between 21st - 28th March. His family were evidently informed his date of death was 22nd March 1918 (see family notice) and CWGC shows 28th March 1918. 

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am  the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shelling and very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident.

The Dundee Courier dated 18^th April 1918 reports a letter from Bertie’s Officer:

“Lance-Corporal Millar, was in charge of his Lewis gun section during the German advance.  He was one of the most promising Lewis gun corporals in the battalion, and had done very good work the previous day.”

Bertie has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £10-10s went to his father.

His mother, at 6 N. George Street, Dundee, was awarded a pension of 7/- a week from October 1918.

On the first anniversary of his death his family placed an In Memoriam notice in the Dundee People’s Journal:

“In loving memory of our dear beloved son, Lance-Cpl. Bertie Millar, 18th K.L.R., killed in action on 22nd March 1918.

  He bravely answered duty’s call,

    He gave his young life for one and all;

  But the unknown grave is the bitterest blow,

    None but bleeding hearts can know.

- Inserted by his father and mother, brother and sister”

The Scotsman 14th May 1918
KILLED

King's (L'pool Regt.) - Millar, 57558, L/Cpl B.(Dundee);

His mother died shortly afterwards at age 49 in April 1919, after a lingering illness, after which the pension went to his father, at Hall Farm Co., Auchterarder, and later at 56 Kinlock Street, Carnoustie.

A 1927 newspaper report describes how Andrew Millar, a retired and pensioned Police Constable, living with his son and daughter-in-law in Kinloch Street, Carnoustie, was found unconscious suffering from gas poisoning. He was taken to hospital and apparently recovered and appears to have died in 1939.

Bertie is commemorated on the following memorials -

Dundee Roll of Honour

Hilltown United Free Church, Dundee

Scotland’s National Roll of Honour 

We currently have no further information on Bertie Millar, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.