British War Medal 1939-45 : Lieutenant J R Millett, 2/11 Battalion

British War Medal 1939-45. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Associated with the service of WX3383 Lieutenant John Robert 'Jack' Millett who was born on 19 February 1912, the son of Richard and Amelia Millett. He worked in a variety of jobs, including assembling cars for General Motors at Cottesloe, until the Great Depression caused the factory to close. He also worked in mining, and as a panel beater. In 1937 he joined the 11th Battalion (City of Perth Regiment) militia unit. In 1938 he married Irene 'Rene' Cary and they had a son, Bob.

Millett enlisted in the AIF on 17 July 1940 and was allocated to the 2/11th Battalion. He joined his unit in the Middle East and went into action for the first time at Bardia on 5 January 1941. As part of the Allied advance into Italian-occupied Libya, 2/11 Battalion fought at Tobruk on 21-22 January, and to secure Derna airfield on 25 January. It was advancing to the south of Benghazi when the Italians surrendered on 7 February. At Bardia and Tobruk, Millett was responsible for organising the movement of Italian prisoners behind the lines.

Along with his unit, Millett was sent to Greece, arriving near Athens around 13 April. They travelled to Larissa by cattle truck, and then by truck to defensive positions at Kalabaka. There they held the position while troops evacuated the area. They then destroyed tunnels and bridges in the area. One was done too soon and the troops had to be withdrawn over pontoons. They then fell back to Bayliss. From there they moved forward 15 miles to hold a defensive position while more troops evacuated. The battalion then fell back and were evacuated from Greece by sea on 25 April 1941.

They landed at Crete the next day where they helped to defend the Retimo airfield with 2/1 Battalion on the north of the island. German paratroopers landed on Crete on 20 May. Allied troops began leaving Crete on 28 May, but not all could be evacuated in time. Retimo airfield was held for ten days before the 2/11th and 2/1st Battalions were forced to surrender on 30 May. Millett was taken prisoner. He was taken in a Junkers 52 aircraft to Athens, then by train and on foot through Greece to Salonika, where he spent three weeks.

They were then taken through Austria to the camp at Oflag XC at Lubeck. From here Millett was eventually transferred to Oflag VIB at Warburg. At Warburg Millett was caught trying to dig a tunnel out of the camp from his hut with another prisoner. He was transferred to Oflag VIIB at Eichstatt in Bavaria. Here he began producing maps for escaping prisoners. He also took part in digging the tunnel that was used in the mass escape of prisoners from that camp. On 3 June 1943, 65 men escaped from Oflag VIIB through the tunnel, including Millett. Millett was on the run for five days before he was recaptured.

In response to this escape attempt he was transferred to Oflag IVC at Colditz Castle. This was the camp for the 'incorrigibles', those who had continually attempted to escape, and the 'Prominente' (people with prominent connections who could be used as hostages). At Colditz Millett continued his escape committee career, becoming the map maker. Oflag IVC was liberated in April 1945 and Millett eventually made his way home. After the war Jack and Rene had another son named Barry and Jack worked in a number of metal trades. Jack Millett died on 1 December 1999, aged 87.