Stewart Millar

Private Stewart Millar (B/66761) served in the Royal Regiment of Canada, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps during the Second World War. Born on 9th February 1906, he was the son of Hugh Millar and Mary Agnes Millar of Upper Main Street, Randalstown, Co. Antrim.

Millar’s Second World War attestation papers list his address as 145 Bernice Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Before leaving for Canada, he served in the Royal Ulster Rifles from 8th September 1926 to 3rd December 1926. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps on 9th September 1939 shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War. Stewart was the husband of Elizabeth Mary Millar of Muckamore, Co. Antrim. The couple married in 1941, while the Canadian Private returned to Ulster on leave.

Death in Dieppe

Private Millar died on 25th August 1942 aged 36 years old. His cause of death was due to wounds sustained in The Dieppe Raid of 19th August 1942. The Royal Regiment of Canada landed at Puys on the Eastern Flank early in the morning, meeting the barrage of German guns. The narrow beach at Puys came under heavy fire from nearby high cliffs, leaving few soldiers able to make it to the heavily-wired seawall. Machine gun fire and mortars pinned the remaining troops down on the beach. Most of those who survived surrendered and became prisoners of war. Over 200 members of the Regiment died and Millar was one of around 20 who later died of wounds. This was the heaviest loss sustained by a Canadian Regiment in the course of the entire war.

Stewart Millar’s grave is in Grave A.4 of Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot-Sur-Mer, France. His headstone bears the inscription:

God took our loved one from our home but never from our hearts.