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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
MILLER, William James - of St. Catharines, Ontario passed away 19 Jun 2005. Jim was born on 24 Jul 1915 in Sayabec, Quebec, one of nine children to Alfred and Sarah Miller. After graduating in 1937 from UNB with Honours in Chemistry and Geology he obtained employment with Fraser Co. in Edmundston as a Junior Chemist. Three years later he moved to McMasterville, Quebec where he was employed at U.K. Technical Mission. In the evening after work he trained at with the RCNVR in Montreal. Enlisting in 1942, he served as a Sub-Lieutenant and then as a Lieutenant in HMCS TRANSCONA, HMCS BRANDON and HMCS ST THOMAS. While serving as the navigating officer in HMCS ST THOMAS, their frigate was credited with the sinking of the German U-boat U0877. In February 1945 Jim married and is survived by his wife Jean McFarland McIntyre from St. Lambert, Quebec. Together they raised a son, Colin James Miller and a daughter, Heather McIntyre Edwards. After demobilization in late 1945, Jim found employment with the Canadian International Paper Co. in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec as a Mill Chemist. Over the years he was promoted to Technical Control Superintendent in Gatineau, Quebec; then Superintendent and later Manager of the Garden City Paper Co., in St. Catharines, Ontario. He transferred to Montreal in 1969 and later Atlanta, Georgia with the International Paper Co. Jim didn't return to Canada until 1974. At that time he took the position of manager of New Brunswick International Paper Co in Dalhousie, New Brunswick until his early retirement in 1977. Retirement was enjoyably spent between their winter home in Lake Wales, Florida and their summer home in St. Catharines, where three loving grandchildren were frequent visitors. Lifelong pursuits included being an avid outdoorsman, accomplished musician, active community volunteer, and Elder in the United Church. No matter where he was he found time to golf, canoe, ski, hike, or listen to classical music with family and friends.
Ships served in: MONTREAL DIVISION RCNVR (HMCS MONTREAL) - attached to Montreal 24 Apr 1941 as a Prob SLt, RCNVR (Navy List Dec 1941 / Service file of Lt Miller) HMCS HOCHELAGA II - Appointed to Hochelaga II 22 Dec 1941 (service file of Lt Miller) HMCS KINGS - Appointed to Kings 02 Jan 1942 as a Prob SLt, RCNVR (Navy List Apr 1942). HMCS CHALEUR (Depot Ship Quebec) - Appointed to Chaleur 26 Apr 1942 as a SLt, RCNVR (seniority 22 Dec 1941) (Navy List Dec 1942) * Appointed Lt, RCNVR (seniority 22 Dec 1942) (Navy List Mar 1943) HMCS TRANSCONA - Appointed to Transcona 27 Jan 1943 as a Lt, RCNVR (Navy List Aug 1943) HMCS KINGS - Appointed to Kings 20 Feb 1944 for Short "N" Course as a Lt, RCNVR (Navy List Feb 1944) HMCS TRANSCONA - Appointed to Transcona 08 May 1944 as a Lt (n), RCNVR ** // Served in Trancona 08 May 1944 - 26 Mar 1945 as a Lt, RCNVR, Navigating Officer (flimsey of Lt Miller dated 04 Apr 1945, signed by A.E. Gough, A/LCdr, RCNVR, CO, HMCS Transcona) HMCS BRANDON - Appointed to Brandon 26 Mar 1945 as a Lt (n), RCNVR (Navy List May 1945) HMCS ST THOMAS - Served in St Thomas in May 1945 (service file of Lt Miller) HMCS DONNACONA - Demobilized Nov 1945
** (n) Denotes an officer qualified for Navigation Officer, trained in Canada
(WM00) Portrait of SLt Miller (WM01) Lt W.J. Miller, Halifax, fall 1944 (WM02) "Mr. Miller and his troubles" (WM03) Officers' Mess, Boston, Mass., USA, Membership card (WM04) HMCS TRANSCONA (from the inside of a card - possibly a Christmas card)
Below is the photo album for Lt W.J. Miller. The pages are shown as is in the album and below will be the photos cropped and shown individually with any known captions.
(WM09) note: ship labeled as HMCS ALGONQUIN is HMCS OTTAWA H31
(WM11) note: ship labeled as HMCS TRILLIUM is HMCS EDMUNDSTON K106
(WM15) HMCS TRANSCONA's gunshield art (WM16) HMCS TRANSCONA's mascot "Skipper". Born at sea 17 Nov 1943 (WM17) HMS GLASGOW - photo taken from HMCS TRANSCONA (WM18) A/Lt, Alexander Bell, HMCS TRANSCONA (WM19) Unidentified officer on HMCS TRANSCONA - believed to be A/LCdr Albert Elliott Gough
(WM20-WM21) Unidentified sailors on HMCS TRANSCONA's iced-up fo'c's'le (WM22) HMCS TRANSCONA's iced-up fo'c's'le, just aft the breakwater (WM23) Looking aft down port side of HMCS TRANSCONA. Note the ice covered depth charge launcher
(WM24) Diagram of Flooding Arrangements - HMCS TRANSCONA Drawn by William J. Miller
(WM25-WM27) HMCS CLAYOQUOT - Immediately after being hit by acoustics torpedo at No. 1 Buoy, Halifax Approaches, 24 Dec 1944, 1042 P. Ships in Company - HMCS KIRLAND LAKE, HMCS TRANSCONA
(WM28) HMCS KINGS "n" T-Division
"n" = Navigator's course
Click here to view the signatures on the back of the photo
(WM29) HMS BRANDON fueling from an oiler while in convoy (WM30) HMCS STELLARTON K457 (WM31) HMCS OTTAWA H31 (WM32) Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC). Photo taken from HMCS BRANDON (WM33) A "Stringbag" (Fairey Swordfish Bi-plane) from a MAC
(WM34) A blimp flies over merchant ships in convoy (WM35) Unidentified corvette (WM36) Fairmile Motor Launch Q116 (WM37) HMCS EDMUNSTON K106 (WM38) HMCS BRANDON
(WM39) Unidentified corvette (WM40) George Wilson, of Vancouver, BC on unknown ship (WM41) Unidentified sailor on unknown ship (WM43) Porpoises chasing the ship
(WM43) HMCS ST THOMAS alongside in (believed to be) St. John's, NFLD (WM44) Unidentified sailor coming down from the bridge of HMCS ST THOMAS (WM45-WM46) HMCS ST THOMAS - looking aft, then forward from the crow's nest (WM47) HMCS ST THOMAS - looking a little weather beaten
(WM48-WM59) HMCS ST THOMAS taking a wave over the bow (WM50) Stwd Bernier on the AA gun on HMCS ST THOMAS (WM51) HMCS ST THOMAS transiting an ice field
(WM52-WM54) Survivors from U-877 being rescued - and onboard HMCS ST THOMAS - 27 Dec 1944
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