The Airmen's Stories - S/Ldr. A G Miller

Anthony Garforth Miller was born in Calcutta in 1912 and joined 600 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force in June 1937. During the Munich crisis in September 1938 the squadron was absorbed into the regular RAF. It proceeded to its war station at Kenley but was stood down after two weeks.

Miller was on attachment from 600 to 25 Squadron at Hawkinge from 11th to 24th June 1939. On 24th August 1939 he was called to full-time service and became a Flight Commander with 600.

On 25th March 1940 he was attached to HQ 11 Group Uxbridge for Operations Room duties. He joined the Fighter Interception Unit at Tangmere at its formation in April.

On 18th August Miller, flying a Hurricane, damaged a Ju87. On 29th August he took command of 17 Squadron at Tangmere. Following an attack by a Me110, he made a forced-landing at North Weald on 3rd September, unhurt.

On 5th September he shared in the probable destruction of a He111, on 11th November he probably destroyed two Ju87s and on the 13th he damaged a Do17.

He married Joan Wheatley on 19th November 1940 in Suffolk.

Miller commanded 17 Squadron until July 1941, when he was posted to Leconfield to form and command 134 Squadron. The squadron embarked on HMS Argus on 12th August for Russia and flew off on 6th September to the airfield at Vaenga, near Murmansk.

Above: F/Sgt. C Haw, Miller, S/Ldr. AH Rook, W/Cdr. HNG Ramsbottom-Isherwood receive awards from a Russian minister

It was mainly involved in bomber-escort flights. In October 134 began converting Russian pilots to the Hurricanes and on the 28th all aircraft and equipment was handed over to the Russians and in November the squadron personnel returned to the UK.

Miller was awarded the DFC (gazetted 3rd March 1942) and the Order of Lenin (gazetted 31st March 1942).

In February 1942 he was attached to FIU Ford for a night-fighter refresher course and in April he was posted to command 600 Squadron at Predannack, as a Wing Commander.

In September Miller was appointed OC Training Wing at 54 OTU, remaining there until June 1943 when he became Station Commander RAF High Ercall. In July he took command at RAF Honiley.

Miller was posted to HQ 9 Group in January 1944 for staff duties. He was made Station Commander at Middle Wallop in July, went to HQ Fighter Command in March 1945, took up staff duties at the Air Ministry in October and was released from the RAF in August 1946 as a Group Captain.

Miller died in 1992.