Portrait of Senior Chaplain Frederick James Miles DSO. He was born in London on 18 November 1869 ...

Portrait of Senior Chaplain Frederick James Miles DSO. He was born in London on 18 November 1869 and was educated initially in London before completing his education at the Western Australia Baptist College and becoming a missionary in Ceylon for the years 1892-1900. From 1900 to 1914, Miles served in various pastorates in Australia and was Senior Baptist Chaplain for five years in Victoria. Following appointment as Senior Chaplain to the Australian Imperial Forces, Miles served in Egypt during the period of operations against the Turks in defence of the Suez Canal before going through Gallipoli and on to serve in France in the Bois Grenier salient during May 1916-June 1916. At this time he was the only padre allowed in the front line and was there for forty two days without a break. In this period Miles was under shellfire for five days and for three days and nights he went without a break while attending the wounded. In late July 1916, Miles was in Flanders when Pozieres was taken. From 1917 he served at the Administrative Headquarters in London from where he paid quarterly visits of three weeks duration to padres at the Front. On 1 January 1917, the London Gazette announced the award of the Distinguished Service Order to Miles. Subsequently in 1919, Miles was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.