Page 33 - issue08.03.2019

Royal Air Force News Friday, March 8, 2019 P25

Obituary

V Bomber commander

IR COMMODORE known as the Gothic Line. Previous Squadron flying Meteor jets from
John ‘Dusty’ Miller, air strikes had decimated enemy EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP: Biggin Hill. On April 17, 1952 his
who has died aged shipping in the Northern Adriatic DFC winner Air Cdre John aircraft caught fire over Essex and
A 97, led attacks against and the enemy had resorted to ‘Dusty’ Miller at RAF Finningley he became one of the first men to
enemy shipping in the Adriatic using schooners, barges and small bale out using an ejector seat. He
in the latter phases of World War coasters to carry reinforcements specialised in fighter operations
II for which he was awarded the and supplies. During the advance for the next 10 years having been
DFC. up the east coast of Italy by the 1st awarded the AFC in 1953.
Born in Doncaster in December Canadian Corps, Miller attacked By 1960 those officers identified
1921, he interrupted his studies to barges carrying supplies along the with the potential to reach higher
be a chartered accountant to join Candiano Canal, which connected rank were posted away from their
the RAF in July 1941. the German forces at Ravenna with specialisation in order to gain
He trained as a pilot in the USA the Adriatic. wider experience. Miller left for the
under the US-UK Bi-lateral ‘Arnold’ He led numerous attacks using V-Force and was given command of
Scheme. Assessed as above average, rockets and cannon to sink a large a Valiant nuclear bomber squadron.
he was one of a small number to be number of small ships. During At the end of 1961 he was
selected to remain in the USA as a November the squadron destroyed promoted to be the Station
flying instructor. 14 barges, three schooners, one Commander of RAF Finningley
He eventually managed to 1,400-ton ship and a large merchant near Doncaster, which was the
be appointed to an operational ship. home of a Valiant squadron and the
squadron and converted to the The pace was maintained into the Vulcan operational conversion unit
Beaufighter. New Year and, as the enemy tried where all Vulcan crews received
In the autumn of 1944 he joined to make greater use of darkness, their training.
255 Squadron at Foggia in Italy. Miller and his fellow pilots attacked After three years in the
He flew on air defence and escort them at night. plans division at HQ Bomber
sorties but became frustrated at As the war in Italy moved to an Command where, inter alia, he had
the lack of action as the Luftwaffe end, port installations around the responsibility for the Blue Steel air-
virtually disappeared from Italian Gulf of Trieste and on the Istrian launched, rocket-propelled nuclear
skies so he transferred to 272 Peninsula were attacked. armed standoff missile entering
Squadron to fly anti-shipping Miller flew 43 attack operations service with the RAF’s V-Force, he
strikes. and, in the latter stages, many were was appointed CBE.
As the German forces retreated in the face of heavy anti-aircraft He spent three years in MoD
north, elements of his squadron fire. was awarded the DFC. The citation spirit and great devotion to duty.’ before deciding to leave the RAF in
deployed to Falconera, a base north He completed his tour of concluded that he had, ‘displayed He flew fighters and in July April 1969 to embark on a second
of Ancona just south of the frontline operations at the end of April and excellent leadership, a fine fighting 1951 was given command of 41 career in the building industry.
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lunar eclipse Blood Moon behind the whose patience and skill was put to the unar eclipse Blood Moon behind the whose patience and skill was put to the
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Pleasant in the Falkland Islands. It was so low for a very short period of time.leasant in the Falkland Islands. It was so low for a very short period of time.
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Operation Biloxi in Romania.peration Biloxi in Romania.
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