Brigadier of The Lincolnshire Regiment Buried in Australia - Why?

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by spidge, Sep 16, 2009.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Brigadier E.W. Milford C.B.E. M.C. of the Lincolnshire Regiment is buried at the Springvale War Cemetery along with a few RA & Marine Regiment RA.

    Any ideas who this chap is and why he would be in Australia?

    Would he have been a liaison or transferred injured from some area of South East Asia?

    Milford_EW CBE MC Lincolnshire Regiment UK.jpg
     
  2. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    In Memory of
    Brigadier ERNEST WILLIAM MILFORD
    C B E, M C

    Lincolnshire Regiment
    and, General Staff
    who died age 46
    on 23 July 1944
    Son of William and Amelia Milford, of Bristol, England.
    Remembered with honour
    SPRINGVALE WAR CEMETERY, MELBOURNE
     
  3. Capt.Sensible

    Capt.Sensible Well-Known Member

    Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster-General 52nd Division

    Assistant Quartermaster-General Southern Command


    Chief Administration Officer XII Corps


    Deputy Quartermaster-General 21st Army Group

    Biography of Brigadier Ernest William Milford
     
  4. Capt.Sensible

    Capt.Sensible Well-Known Member

  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Does anyone know why he would have been in Australia?


    Milford_EW CBE MC Lincolnshire Regiment UK.jpg
    In Memory of
    Brigadier ERNEST WILLIAM MILFORD
    C B E, M C

    Lincolnshire Regiment
    and, General Staff
    who died age 46
    on 23 July 1944
    Son of William and Amelia Milford, of Bristol, England.
    Remembered with honour
    SPRINGVALE WAR CEMETERY, MELBOURNE
    [​IMG]
     
  6. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    He may have been attached to the SRD (Sevices Reconnaisance Department) the Australian version of SOE will check, or he may have been attached to the Australian Forces in a Staff position
     
  7. Vitesse

    Vitesse Senior Member

    BRITISH OFFICER'S DEATH

    Brigadier Ernest William Milford, a British staff officer who recently arrived in Australia, died suddenly in Melbourne yesterday. He was 46 years.

    Brigadier Milford was commissioned in the Lincolnshire Regiment in 1915, and served in the last war. He was mentioned in despatches and was awarded the Military Cross. Before coming to Australia he was instructor at the Senior Officers' School and Staff College, London. He was the only son of Mr and Mrs W. Milford, of Clifton, Bristol.

    Melbourne Argus July 24th 1944
     
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  8. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Melbourne Argus July 24th 1944

    Thanks Vitesse,

    I did a search and must have missed it.


    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  9. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    He may have been attached to the SRD (Sevices Reconnaisance Department) the Australian version of SOE will check, or he may have been attached to the Australian Forces in a Staff position

    He must have been here for a particular reason. 46 is quite young.

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  10. Vitesse

    Vitesse Senior Member

    Dunno why I didn't check The Times as well: note the contradiction as to how long he'd been in the country and the suggestion of "special duties". There's also a paid-for death notice from the family, but it adds no further detail.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. idler

    idler GeneralList

    From the roll of honour in the Lincolnshires' history:

    Milford, C.B.E., M.C., Ernest William, T./Brig., Military Mission, Australia

    It could have been political, administrative or supply related. TNA's best matches are:

    DO 35/1697 United Kingdom Military Mission to Australia: reports by General Dewing to Mr S L Holmes of the British Supply Council in North America 1943-1946

    WO 232/5 Report of British Military Mission 222 concerning its visit to Australia and the South-West Pacific area 1944 July

    WO 233/26 Military mission to investigate the suitability of Australia as a base for operations against Japan: training requirements for airborne forces 1944 Mar.-June
     
  12. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Interesting - A few options it seems. Something concrete may come to light.

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  13. Susan richardson

    Susan richardson New Member

    My grandfather Harry Adamson was batman to this gentleman during WW2 I have recently found some letters from Captain Milford sent to my grandfather and also one from his wife informing him of his death. My mother used to say that Captain Milford was involved in the planning of D Day and unfortunately this made him I’ll but I have nothing to proof this
     
  14. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    From the Lincolnshire Regiment Roll of Honour, he died "Result of an accident". Nothing mentioned other than that.
     
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  15. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    If anyone has access to Ancestry Australia then there are details of his Death Certificate available, this would obviously explain what he died of which in turn might explain what he was doing there

    TD
     
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