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MILITARY SERVICE RECORD & CIVILIAN CAREER

 

 

MILLIE, George Arthur

 

July 1950

 

 

PERSONAL DETAILS

Date and place of birth: 03 Jun 1934, British Military Families' Hospital, Colaba, Bombay, India

Next of kin address: Dursley, Gloucestershire

 

MILITARY SERVICE

Date and place of enlistment: 08 Sep 1949, Army Recruiting Office, Gloucester

Regimental Number: Restricted

 

G.S.C. 08 Sep 1949 – 25 Jul 1952:

Company: 'A' ● Squad: 16 ●Trade: Telecommunication Mechanic ● Rank: Apprentice Tradesman

Education: Army Certificate of Education Class 2, 10 Mar 1950 (Ref: Part 2 Order No 40 of 1950)

Education: Army Certificate of Education Class 1, Oct 1950

Posted to the Ranks: as a Private on attaining 18 years of age on 03 Jun 1952  (classified: 23 Jul 1952)

Trade Qualification: Telecommunication Mechanic - Learner Tradesman (Ref: Part 2 Order No 62 of 1952)

 

R.E.M.E.

Posting: wef 29 Aug 1952 - 29 Apr 1954: 5 Anti-Aircraft Group Workshops REME, Newark, Nottinghamshire (Ref: Part 2 Order No 63 of 1952)

Rank: Private (Learner Tradesman)

Trade Test: 27 Aug 1953, Telecommunication Mechanic A3

Rank: appointed Craftsman

Posting: 29 Apr 1954 - 27 Jun 1956: 3 Anti Aircraft Group Permanent Range, Tonfannau, Merionethshire, North Wales

Unit re-designation: 15 Feb 1956: Anti Aircraft Permanent Range Workshops REME, Tonfannau

Promotion: 28 Jun 1954, Lance Corporal

Promotion: 25 Nov 1954, Corporal

Trade Test: 22 Oct 1954, Telecommunication Mechanic (Field) Class 2

Trade Test: 30 Jun 1955, Telecommunication Mechanic (Field) Class 1

Trade re-designation: Telecommunication Technician Class 1

Artificer Selection Board: Following my 21st birthday on 3rd June 1955, and against my better judgement, my CO took it upon himself to send me to SEME Bordon, Hampshire, to attend the next available Artificer Selection Board. I was not successful.

Posting: 09 Jul 1956 - 24 Sep 1957: Anti Aircraft Range, Todendorf, Schleswig-Holstein, BAOR

Ski Training Course: 20 Jan - 29 Jan 1957: Norwegian Army Training Centre, Lahaugmoen, near Oslo, Norway.

Secondment (unofficial): 31 Jan - 31 May 1957: Arctic Exercise with the Norwegian Army.

 

ARMY AIR CORPS

[Under Army Order No 82 of 1957 the Army Air Corps was formed from the Air OP and Light Liaison units]

Posting: 24 Sep 1957 - 06 Mar 1958: Army Air Corps Centre, Middle Wallop, Hampshire

Aircraft Conversion Course: 11 Nov 1957 - 14 Feb 1958, No. 1 Aircraft Technician (E, I & R) Class 1

Posting: 06 Mar 1958 - 04 Nov 1959: 652 Light Aircraft Squadron, Lippe-Detmold, BAOR

Promotion: 25 Jun 1959: Sergeant

Posting: 04 Nov 1959 - 12 Sep 1969: Technical Training Wing, Army Air Corps Centre, Middle Wallop, Hampshire

Specialist duties: Instructor, Aircraft Electrical Systems. I took over from Flight Sergeant Wright RAF who was being posted for training as a Crew Chief on one of the V-Bombers (so called from their names -  ‘Valiant’, ‘Victor’ & ‘Vulcan’).

SE 3130 Alouette II Helicopter Course: 16 Mar - 30 Mar 1961: Sud-Aviation Helicopters, Le Bourget Airport, Paris & Aircraft Engine Factory, Pau, Pyrenees.

De Havilland Beaver Aircraft Course: 03 Jul - 07 Jul 1961: De Havilland Servicing School, Hatfield.

Trade re-designation: 01 Jan 1962: Aircraft Technician (Radio) Class 1

Promotion: 03 Oct 1963: Staff Sergeant (Instructor)

Methods of Instruction Course: 21 Mar - 27 Mar 1968: REME Officers' School, Methods of Instruction Wing, Arborfield. (Course Serial: 64 PSI; Student Ref. No: M/66/68)

Report: "S/Sgt MILLIE showed a commendable enthusiasm for teaching well and his 40-minute session was delivered in a most professional manner. He was only criticised for the size of the lettering on his vufoils. These were made commercially and do not match up to the standards set by this Wing. Overall, he has proved himself to be a most competent Instructor."

Assessment Marks: 92%; Grade: 'A'; Recommendation: Suitable as an Instructor. Signed: GG Best, Major, Methods Officer, 31 Mar 1968.

Silly question: Who said "Better late than never"?

Posting: During August 1969 I was notified of my posting to Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. I was assured that the duration was to be not longer than 12 months because the Flight was returning to UK. By this time I had been securely entrenched at Middle Wallop for almost 10 years and had become used to my privileged lifestyle. With a wife and small child from whom I wished not to be separated I declined the Army’s kind invitation and applied for discharge, which was granted. Terry REDDIN, who was sent out there in my stead, was not a very happy person. When we crossed paths in Singapore some years later I learned that the posting had lasted two-and-a-half years. He greeted me with something like: “Thanks for the posting mate” to which I replied: “It couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke”. I don’t think he has ever forgiven me. Sorry Terry!

 

Discharge

Date and place: 12 Sep 1969: Army Air Corps Centre, Middle Wallop, Hampshire. At own request after 20 years and 4 days service.

 

CIVILIAN CAREER

Singapore

 

18 Sep 1969 - 28 Feb 1971: Contracted to Messrs. Airworks Services Ltd. as Technical Instructor (Aircraft Electrical and Instrument Systems) at the Singapore Armed Forces Technical Training Institute, Seletar (later re-located to Changi Air Base following the withdrawal of the RAF from Singapore).

 

22 Mar 1971 - 13 Nov 1973: Contracted to the Singapore Government as Chief Instructor with the rank Captain, Aeronautical Engineering Training Institute, Singapore Air Defence Command.

 

Australia

 

25 Nov 1973: Departed Singapore for Australia, settling near Brisbane, Queensland. Laboratory Technician at Villanova College, a private school in Brisbane until I secured a permanent position as Lecturer (Mathematics) at South Brisbane Technical College (now Institute of Technical and Further Education)

 

01 Jul 1975: Teacher Registration was introduced in Queensland in 1973 to prevent the credibility of the teaching profession being eroded by the use of poorly trained or unqualified teachers. An independent Register of Teachers was introduced in 1973 and teacher registration became compulsory in 1975 for Primary & Secondary Teachers, was extended to Pre-school Teachers in 1981 and to Teacher Educators & School Inspectors who supervise or assess Student Teachers or Practising Teachers in 1989. My application was granted and I was registered as a Teacher with the Board of Teacher Education commencing 01 July 1975. I thereupon resigned from the Department of Technical Education and secured positions variously at Loreto College, Villanova College, Church of England Grammar School, and Brisbane Boys' College, all being private schools, as Teacher of Senior Mathematics and Physics.

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

The Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers & Technologists (Associate Fellow)

The Society of Electronic & Radio Technicians (Fellow)

R.Tech.Eng.(CEI) – Engineers Registration Board (Registered Technician Engineer)

The Institution of Radio & Electronic Engineers Australia (Engineering Associate)

The Queensland Teachers' Registration Board (Registered Teacher)

 

MARITAL & FAMILY STATUS

21 Dec 1963: Married Marion SHAW of Oxford ● 21 Jun 1965: Birth of daughter Tracey Katrina at Winchester General Hospital, Hampshire ● 15 Jun 1972: Birth of son Andrew John at Serangoon Garden Maternity Clinic, Singapore.

Grandchildren: Melissa Jane, born 19 Oct 1990 in Brisbane, Queensland, daughter of Andrew John & partner Hazel Faye SAUNDERS ● Aaron Robert, born 04 Jul 1996; Harry James, born 19 Jan 1999, both in Wollongong, New South Wales, sons of Tracey Katrina and her husband John Gerard DARK.

 

IN RETIREMENT

 

1999

 

Hobbies: Webmaster of ‘The September 49ers’ website; Genealogy research for the purpose of writing a history of my family.