Photo: James Pasby

4275868 Fusilier
E.C. Miller
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
23rd July 1940.

Phil Hadley, Cornish WW2 Historian, has sent this from his own records about the death in Cornwall:

I came across your website as I was doing an internet search for Edward Miller of 8th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers as part of my research on Falmouth & Penryn in the Second World War.

The War Diary of the RNF simply said Fusilier Miller drowned in Penryn Reservoir. I have found the local press reports on the Coroner's Inquest and it seems he was the driver of a 3 man motorcycle combination when the sidecar hit a bank at slow speed and tipped himself the driver, and Fusilier Thomas Shaw the pillion rider into the reservoir. The sidecar passenger Fusilier John Donald Shafto was thrown onto the road. Shaw managed to swim to the bank, but Miller was no where to be seen. Another Fusilier, Edward Shaw, ran from the far side of the reservoir and dived in several times to try and locate Miller. Unfortunately he failed. The witnesses told the Coroner the motorcycle combination was only travelling at about 10mph. The Coroner's ruling indicated the bike had hit the hedge twice before depositing two of its riders in the water. Death was by drowning and the verdict was an accidental death.

Angela Conroy has sent in a transcript of the report in the Shields Daily News 24/07/1946 which reads:

PERCY MAIN ATHLETE DEAD

Eddie (Slogger) Miller, Official information has been received of the death of Fusilier Edward Clementson Miller (23) of 15 Blyth Street, Percy Main, the Gateshead footballer. Better known as "Slogger" Miller, he was included in the first batch of men who arrived back in England from Dunkirk.

He played soccer for Percy Main Council School, and subsequently for Percy Main Amateurs, North Shields, Fulham and Gateshead.

He had also played for Northumberland County against Durham.

It is believed that Fusilier Miller was drowned.

He is remembered in the Battalion History at Alnwick in A11.54, on page 14 and at Percy Main on P22.02

Fortress Falmouth entry on Fusilier Miller
Fortress Falmouth, compiled by Phil Hadley
The CWGC entry for Fusilier Miller