Name: Earle Russell Miller Rank: Corporal Service Number: 283361 Battalion: 219th Battalion Date of Birth: July 4, 1898 Place of Birth: Yarmouth, NS Date of Enlistment: April 3, 1916 Place of Enlistment: Yarmouth NS Address at Enlistment: Yarmouth, NS Age at Enlistment: 18 (on attestation) (actual age 17) Height: 5 feet, 9 inches Complexion: medium Eyes: brown Hair: dark brown Previous Military: 29th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Yarmouth, NS Trade: Bank Clerk (Bank of Nova Scotia) Martial Status: Single Religion: Baptist Next of Kin: Avard H. Miller (Father), Yarmouth, NS Earle Russell Miller, born the second of four children, was the son of Avard Herbert and Hannah Sarah (Allen) Miller of Yarmouth, NS. The family home was located at Trinity Place, Yarmouth. Earle’s father was trained as an organ builder and was foreman of the Chute and Hall Organ Factory until it was destroyed by fire after which he owned and operated a bicycle shop in Yarmouth. At seventeen, Earle enlisted with the 219th Battalion at Yarmouth and completed basic training at Aldershot, Nova Scotia. On October 12, 1916, he boarded the SS Olympic (Transport 2810) that departed Halifax on October 13 for Liverpool, England. When the ship docked at Liverpool on October 19, 1916 the troops of the 219th were transported by train to Milford. From there they marched the two miles to Witley Military Camp, (Camp Witley) set up on Witley Common, Surrey. On January 23, 1917,Earle was transferred from the 219th Battalion to the 17th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott Camp and on February 8, 1917, was transferred from the 17th Reserve Battalion to the 161st Battalion at Witley Camp. On February 12, 1918 the 5th Division was broken up and on February 15, 1916 the 161st Battalion absorbed into the 4th Reserve Battalion. On February 13, Earle tried for a draft to a 18th Battalion in the field, but no scouts were allowed. On February 22, he volunteered for a draft to the 47th Battalion and was accepted. He was struck off strength from the 161st Battalion (Witley) on February 28. He proceeded to France arriving just after midnight on March 1, 1918 for service with the the 47th Battalion. The battalion was renamed the 47th Western Ontario Battalion in February of 1918. In France, Earle was sent to the Canadian Corps Re-enforcement Camp and on March 4, 1918, he joined the 47th Battalion unit in training at Houdain, Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. “A draft of 95 men were received from the 47th Can. Reserve Battalion and were taken on the strength. These were the first men received from 161st Battalion and were of a very fine type” [The War Diary of the 47th Battalion - March 4, 1918]. On September 4, 1918 Earle was wounded, hit by shrapnel in his left leg. On September 6, 1918, he was admitted to No. 53 General Hospital at Boulogne. On September 10, he was marked for return to England and on September 11, arrived at No 4 Canadian General Hospital, Shorncliffe, England. By October 29, 1918 his wounds were well healed and his leg was strong with no disability and he was transferred on that date to the Military Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom, Surrey. On November 6, 1918 he was discharged from that hospital and reported to the 1st Canadian Command Depot, Witley and given furlough. On November 11, 1918, he was struck off strength from the Western Ontario Regimental Depot to the 1st Canadian Command Depot at Witley. Earle was promoted to Acting Corporal (1st Canadian Command Depot) on March 9, 1919. On March 25 he transferred to the 4th Reserve Battalion at Ripon, England and on March 31, 1919 posted to 2nd Regimental Depot at Witley. On April 3, 1919 having been added to the list “pending return to Canada” he was attached to Kinmel Park, Rhyl, the transit camp for Canadians waiting to be repatriated to Canada. On April 16, 1919 he embarked Liverpool on the SS Belgic for Halifax arriving there on April 23, 1919. He was discharged at Halifax on demobilization on May 1, 1919. At discharge he was 20 years old and had grown 5 inches after enlisting and was 6 foot 2 inches when he returned to Yarmouth in 1919. Earle married Dorothy Frances Baker, daughter of James Edward Baker and Jessie Maria (Potter) Baker on October 11, 1920. In 1923 they immigrated to Massachusetts, lived in Somerville and Sagus before moving to New Hampshire and then back to Somerville, Mass. At various times he worked as a cabinet maker, furniture maker, manufactured wicker hampers, and manufactured lobster tanks for grocery stores and such. He and Dorothy returned to Dayton, Yarmouth Co., NS in 1967. Dorothy died June 2 1990, age 88 1990, at Villa St. Joseph du Lac, Dayton, NS. Earle died August 22, 1990, aged 92 at Villa St. Joseph du Lac, Dayton, NS. Earle and Dorothy had three children: Earle Wesley (1921–1994) born in Yarmouth, NS, died in Yarmouth Hospital, Yarmouth, NS; Alan Dane (1922–1982) born in Yarmouth, NS, died in Mass., US; and Beverly Frances, born October 3, 1924 in Somerville Mass., died November 16, 2013 at Yarmouth NS. Remembering Earle R. Miller Story Links: A Voyage from Halifax to England A 7-Day Pass to London Return to Canada

Earle Russell Miller

Clara Maude Miller(central seated) Earle Russell Miller (rear 2nd from left) Frank Page Miller (front left) Graydon George MILLER (rear 2nd from right) Avard Herbert Miller (left) Hannah Sarah (Allen) Miller (right)

Avard Herbert Miller (left) Clara Maude Miller (2nd from left) Earle Russell Miller (seated centre) Graydon George Miller (rear 2nd from right) Hannah Sarah (Allen) Miller Frank Page Miller (right)

(Standing Left) Avard Herbert Miller (1866-1953). (Standing Right) Ezra Miller (1843-1925) Avard’s father. (Seated) Earle Russell Miller (1898-1990) Avard’s son (Child) Earle Wesley Miller (1921-1994). Earle Russel Miller’s son

Earle Miller 219th Battalion

Earle Miller, England 1917