Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr or S/L) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Squadron leader is immediatel ...

Denis "Dusty" Miller DSO DFC (12 November 1918 – 24 March 2009) was a

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs, launch aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploy air-launched cruise missiles. There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strateg ...

and

airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...

pilot.

Early life

Miller was born in 1918 in New Zealand and educated at

Auckland Grammar School Auckland Grammar School (often simplified to Auckland Grammar, or Grammar), established in 1869, is a State school, state, Day school, day and Boarding school, boarding secondary school for Single-sex education, boys in Auckland, New Zealand. ...

Military career

Miller travelled to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

in 1941, where he served in

RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the Strategic bombing during World War II#Europe, strategic bombing of Germany in W ...

. His first posting was to No. 50 Squadron RAF, where he flew Hampdens. He then moved to No. 25 Operational Training Unit RAF to instruct on

Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington (nicknamed the Wimpy) is a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of t ...

Later life and death

At the end of World War II, Miller joined

British Overseas Airways Corporation British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the United Kingdom, British state-owned national airline created in 1939 by the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. It continued operating overseas services throughout World War II ...

. He flew a variety of aircraft with BOAC for over 28 years.

Awards and decorations

On 23 June 1942, the then Acting Flight Lieutenant Miller was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross ''in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy''. On 12 May 1944, the then Acting Squadron Leader Miller was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

''in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy''. The details were gazetted on 9 May 1944 as follows:

Acting Squadron Leader Dennis MILLER, DFC (NZ402207), Royal New Zealand Air Force, No 49 Squadron
Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, this officer has completed very many sorties, including five attacks on Berlin and three against Hanover. Throughout he has displayed a high degree of skill, courage and resolution, qualities which have earned him much success. In April 1944, he piloted an aircraft detailed for a minelaying mission. In spite of opposing fire from armed ships and from the shore batteries, Squadron Leader Miller executed his task with great precision and afterwards completed the long flight home safely. His example has been worthy of emulation.

Personal life

He was married to Margery, who died in 2007. He has two children; a daughter, by whom he is survived and a son, who became a

Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...

pilot with

British Airways British Airways plc (BA) is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main Airline hub, hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and pass ...

, who predeceased him.

References

External links

Obituary at Times.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Denis 1918 births 2009 deaths People educated at Auckland Grammar School New Zealand World War II pilots New Zealand World War II bomber pilots Commercial aviators