Hugh Henry Millar

This story and photo is shared by the Trust courtesy of Justin McAuley, Great Nephew of Hugh Millar, in collaboration with Brian Dilley, researcher.

Hugh was born on 20th February 1921 at 12 Kenbaan Street, Belfast to John Millar (42), a labourer, and Isabella Millar (née Ogle) (39). He was the youngest of 8 siblings: Agnes (b. 1902), Thomas (b. 1905), John (b. 1907), William (b.1909), Sarah (b.1912), Robert (b. 1914) and Thomasena (b. 1916).

Hugh's mother, Isabella, died in 1924 of bronchial pneumonia and cardiac failure when Hugh was 3 years old so he was taken in by relatives to be raised. Eventually when his elder sister, Sarah, married William Reid, Hugh went to live with them in Abetta Parade in East Belfast. Hugh’s niece, Isobel, was born in 1937 and said Hugh was like a “big brother” to her.

Hugh was called up to join the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles and posted to D Company around March 1940. Two of his brothers, Robert and Thomas, also served with the Royal Ulster Rifles. Their father, John, had served in the First World War with the Royal Irish Rifles.

After crossing the channel on D-Day, Hugh and D Company made their way to the assembly point at Lion-sur-Mer. They then moved to Périers Ridge, a high point overlooking the beaches to the north and Caen to the south, where they dug in for the evening. On 7th June, the Rifles received orders to move southwest from Périers Ridge to capture Cambes, a village six miles inland that was surrounded by woodland and a 10-foot-high stone wall. Cambes was considered to be a gateway into Caen, the original target for the allies to capture on D-Day itself.

The village of Cambes had been believed to be lightly held by the Germans, but the high walls made it difficult to confirm and gave the Germans a significant advantage over the approaching troops who would have to approach across open fields. At 17:00 hrs Hugh’s D Company launched a company strength attack on the village. D Company moved along the track between Le Mesnil and Cambes behind a squadron of tanks from the East Riding Yeomanry. The rest of the battalion followed closely in reserve.

A number of men were lost along the track to enemy snipers on the edge of the wood and accurate mortar fire. When they reached the wood, they came face to face with the stone wall. The Company split into two, with two platoons in each half. One half attacked the village through the left side of the wood and the other through the right edge. Immediately the Company had broken through the wood, crossfire from machine guns opened up resulting in more men becoming casualties, including the Company Commander, Captain John Richard St Leger Aldworth.

Having realised that the village was actually well defended as an outpost, the troops withdrew with the rest of the battalion to Le Mesnil. They had to leave the wounded behind. On the Battalion’s return, with a Battalion strength attack on 9th June to capture the village, they found that the Germans had shot the wounded in their heads.

The toll from the unsuccessful attack was one officer and 14 other ranks killed, Hugh being one of them. One officer and eleven other ranks were also wounded or missing, and two stretcher bearers who had been tending the wounded were also killed.

Hugh’s niece, Isobel, remembers being told that Hugh was shot in the woods by a sniper and his Captain was also killed that day. She was just about 7 years old and vividly remembers her mother, Sarah, collapsing in grief at the kitchen sink when the telegram arrived notifying her of Hugh’s death.

News of his death was published in this unidentified Belfast newspaper paper.

Hugh’s brothers both survived the war, though Robert was wounded, and survived into their sixties. Thomas was married to Minnie and had two children. Robert moved to England and married Eleanor. They had no children.

Hugh is now laid to rest in La Deliverande War Cemetery in Douvres.