Meeting Reflections
My Grandfather – a secret life – Brian Miller
Our February meeting was
all about secrets – both professional and personal – when Brian Miller told us
all about his Grandfather. Well, I say
he told us ALL, but that wasn’t strictly true, as will be revealed.
Brian’s Grandfather, Albert
Reginald Miller, known by everyone as Bert, was born right at the end of the 19th
century and joined the Royal Navy in 1914 at the start of WWI, as a telegraphist/radio operator. He had a distinguished war career, including
being involved in the Battle of Jutland for which he received a special medal.
He served in the Navy from
1914 to 1938 in various ships and with an exemplary service record. However, in 1938 he was recruited by Richard
Gambier-Parry as an honorary Captain in the British Army. Gambier-Parry, it should be noted, went on to
achieve the rank of Brigadier, to be knighted, to become director of the DWS
(Diplomatic Wireless Service) and finally head of the forerunner of GCHQ.
Anyway, Bert was recruited
to be part of a clandestine intelligence wireless network across Europe. He was one of six men who took part in
‘Operation Tracer’, observing the patterns of shipping in the Mediterranean from
a bunker in Gibraltar, which was meant to last a year. However, these men had rations for seven
years and were not expected to survive, but the operation was aborted. It is also worth pointing out that despite
the secrecy, Bert had regular visits form his wife
who worked on a passenger ship that made regular visits to the Mediterranean!
In 1943, Bert went to Whaddon Hall, the home of Gambier-Parry’s network of
Special Communication Units, to train wireless operators before they were sent
overseas. At this stage of his career,
documents show that despite his army rank, he was ‘NPFAF’ – Not paid For from
Army Funds – ie he was paid for by MI6.
The next interesting fact
is that on the documents state that he was married in 1917,
however his Marriage Certificate shows clearly that he was actually married in
July 1946. It turns out that he had a
dalliance with a married woman which started in 1917, of which Brian’s father
was the outcome. Brian’s father grew up
thinking that his father was his mother’s first husband and didn’t find out his
true parentage until 1945, when he changed his name by Deed Poll. Another secret!
After WWII, Bert joined
Gambier-Parry at Hanslope Park (now GCHQ) where he
worked until his retirement. Although
even then, he would spend long periods of time overseas, come home for a couple
of months and go overseas again. He was
instrumental in setting up radio networks on Christmas Island and Easter Island
amongst others. In fact, after one trip,
a large cream Alvis saloon arrived at his door – a present
from an important Egyptian diplomat.
After his retirement, he
spent his time playing golf and drinking whisky – funnily enough at
establishments where Brigadier Gambier-Parry ran things! He died in in 1973
and there is no doubt that he led a very interesting life. Although Brian had to admit that there were
large gaps in what he had been able to find out and even his uncle, who also
worked for the DWS, refused to divulge any other secrets.
A fascinating evening……
Sue
Harland