Person    | Male  Born 1893  Died 28/9/1916

Lance Corporal William Francis Spurstow Miller

Categories: Armed Forces

Countries: France, New Zealand

War dead, WW1 i

Commemorated on a memorial as having died in WW1.

Lance Corporal William Francis Spurstow Miller

William Francis Spurstow Miller was born in 1893 in Southsea, Hampshire, one of the four children of Admiral Francis Spurstow Miller CB (1863-1954) and Amy Knowles Miller née Ross (1870-1949). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1893 in the Portsea Island registration district, Hampshire. 

In the 1901 census he is shown as aged 7 years, living at Clearmount Lodge, Buxtons Road, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, with his mother and a younger brother, Cecil Spurstow Miller (1895-1972), together with a cook and two female nurses/housemaids.

In the 1911 census he is shown as aged 17 years, a school boy at the United Services College, 65-69 Alma Road, Windsor, Berkshire, whilst his parents were recorded as living in a 12 roomed property at 19 Granville Park, Lewisham, London, together with a cook and a house-parlour maid. The census return confirmed that his mother had given birth to four children, but at this time only two were still living.

Before enlisting on 14 February 1915 as a Private in the 1st Battalion, Wellington Infantry Regiment, service number 10/1057, his address was given as care of J. H. Dalrimple, Pukeokahu, New Zealand. In February/March 1915 he was part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and was initially sent to Egypt. He was serving in France as a Lance Corporal in his battalion when he was killed in action, aged 23 years, on 28 September 1916.

His body was believed to have been buried somewhere in the Australian Imperial Forces Burial Ground, Grass Lane, Flers, Somme, France and in 1920 the Imperial War Graves Commission (now the Commonwealth War Graves Commission), erected a headstone, (No.7),in their Special Memorial Section of the cemetery.

He is shown as 'SPURSTOW MILLER.W.F.  L-CORPL. 1ST.B. N.Z.E.F.I.R.' on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the New Zealand War Graves Project website.

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Lance Corporal William Francis Spurstow Miller

Commemorated ati

Marylebone Calvary war memorial

{On the front of the alter-like object:} Of your charity pray for these who g...

Read More

Other Subjects

W. H. Brotherhood

W. H. Brotherhood

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
W. D. Grout

W. D. Grout

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
B. W. Low

B. W. Low

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
C. Greenfield

C. Greenfield

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
R. J. B. Evans

R. J. B. Evans

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Charles Francis Annesley Voysey

Charles Francis Annesley Voysey

Architect and designer. Born near Hull, Yorkshire. Influenced by William Morris, his early work included the design of wallpaper and textiles.  His designs for houses became very influential on dom...

Person, Architecture

4 memorials
Association of Waterloo Groups

Association of Waterloo Groups

Organisation facilitating communication and joint action between community groups.

Group, Community / Clubs

1 memorial
Coin Street Community Builders

Coin Street Community Builders

From their website: "We are a social enterprise working in Waterloo and North Southwark, London. From a derelict site in 1984, we have created a vibrant, diverse and welcoming place for people to l...

Group, Community / Clubs, Property

2 memorials
British Broadcasting Corporation

British Broadcasting Corporation

Also known as the BBC or more affectionately, the Beeb.  Founded as the British Broadcasting Company on 18 October 1922 to do test radio transmissions from Marconi House in the Strand.   On 14 Nove...

Group, Seriously Famous, TV & Radio

38 memorials
Joint Service Defence College

Joint Service Defence College

A training academy for British military personnel. It was established as the Combined Staff College in Latimer, Buckinghamshire. Renamed the National Defence College in 1971. Moved to Greenwich in ...

Place, Armed Forces, Education

2 memorials