W/O James Drummond MILLER; RNZAF; NZ4212431

clrh2o · Flight Sergeant

W/O James Drummond MILLER; RNZAF; NZ4212431

Oggie2620 · Warrant Officer

Hi
I gather both W.O. Miller and your father survived as I can't find James on the cwgc site? I see you have had contact with Errol Martyn on the Wings over NZ site. You might like to try http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/accessing-military-service-records.htm although he may still be alive so you might also looking on www.rootschat.com/forum as someone else might be searching for him... The Kiwi researchers have been very helpful to me on there.
Good luck.
Dee

Date: Jan 18, 2013

biggrin Hi,

James Drummond Miller is my father and is still alive and well. He is now nearly 89 years old. After World War II he returned to New Zealand and took up a flying career with NAC and then Air New Zealand, retiring about 1975 as a Boeing jet captain.

Rob Miller

clrh2o · Flight Sergeant

Hi Rob

You cannot imagine how thrilled I am to receive word about your Dad. I trust that he is in good health, and his memory keen as I have many questions about his time with my Dad . My father passed away in June 2002 before I had a chance to discuss his WW2 exploits, so perhaps your Dad can fill some gaps.

Your Dad was the pilot in the team of :

Navigator - Flt Sgt Allan Alfred Candish, RNZAF 436914 - passed away on 14 March 2008 in Wanganui, aged 84,

Wireless Operater and AG - Flt Sgt Eric Allan Dickson, RNZAF #4211757 - passed away on 06 June 2006 in Marton,

Air Bomber - Flt Sgt James Warren McCarthy, RNZAF #436589 - no other details,

Flt Eng / 2nd Pilot - Flt Sgt William Watson, RNZAF #431112 - no other details, and

Rear Gunner - Flt Sgt William Raymond Clearwater, RNZAF #432022, -my Dad.

There may have been two others to make up the full crew for Lancaster bomber work.

Does your father recall who is who in the accompanying photo of Miller's men ?

Does your Dad have his Flying Logbook or any WW2 photos ?

Regards

Des Clearwater

Date: Jan 20, 2013

Hi Des,

I happened upon your question quite by chance of I was surfing the net trying to discover any old photos of Dad and his flying comrades. I do recognise Alfred Candish's name, but wasn't aware of the names of the other crew members. Dad lives in Auckland and I live in Wellington, but I travel to Auckland every month or two. I'm next going up there in mid-February, so if you don't mind waiting a bit, I'll seek the answers to your questions and take a copy of the photo up for Dad to look at. Dad's still pretty with it, but starting to get a bit forgetful now, but more about recent things, not the war. I'm not sure whether he has his flying log book or any photos, but I'll check.

Dad married my mother who was a Wren in the Royal Navy and took his new bride back to NZ in 1946. My mother knows a lot of the war history, she was a Londoner, so I.ll check her memory of the aircrew too.

Great to her from the son of another bomber crew member.

I'll be back in touch,

Best regards

Rob Miller

clrh2o · Flight Sergeant

Hi Rob

Thanks for your reply.

Quite incredible to hear of similarities in our parent's lives.

My Dad also married a Londoner (from Willow Road, Aylesbury, County of Buckinghamshire) in June 1945. My Mum-to-be worked as a WAAF in the Catering Corps, possibly at Air Transport Auxiliary Headquarters, White Waltham Airfield, Maidenhead, Berkshire (altho I have yet to confirm this fact - Mum's wartime correspondence to Dad was on letterhead paper from this address.). Dad left England for New Zealand on 08 April 1946 on the 'SS Athlone Castle' and Mum followed in the 'SS Rangitira' on 30 May 1946.

Neither of my parents are alive today; both having passed away in June 2002, a day apart, in Cambridge, NZ. I never had the opportunity to discuss their respective wartime experiences. As a teenage living in Henderson, Auckland I wasn't that interested at the time. It was never a topic for discussion - "best forgotten" seems to have been the norm for most of our parent's generation.

Looking forward to hearing from you in mid-February or thereabouts.

Regards

Des

Jake Drummond · Flight Sergeant

Hi Rob,
We may be related! My surname is Drummond and I've only found out that I should have cousins in New Zealand, maybe you could PM me?

ZingZong707 · Aircraftsman 1st Class

After World War II he returned to New Zealand and took up a flying career with NAC and then Air New Zealand, retiring about 1975 as a Boeing jet captain.

nida · Aircraftsman 1st Class

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Date: May 16, 2014

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sameer · Aircraftsman 1st Class

Health is wealth so please be careful about your health ..... :)

Date: Feb 13, 2016

Hello, NZ - just searching for anything I might find on our cousins in NZ (my father and J. D. Miller were first cousins) and came upon the information about your father being bomber pilot during WWII. The emails were a couple years ago so don't know if this will reach you or not.