Millar Buzzard

8.0
First World War Service 1915 - 1919

On 6th October 1915, Millar applied to join the 1st A.I.F. in Moora. War had broken out in Europe when Great Britain declared war on Germany on 4th August 1914. [99]

His sister Vera married John Russell Cuthill on 9th November 1915 at St Georges Church, Bloomsbury, London. Millar could obviously not be present at the wedding as he was at Blackboy Hill.

Alice Margaret Mary (Marjorie), Millar and Margaret Mary’s third child, was conceived whilst Millar was on leave from Blackboy Hill (for one day) on 18th November 1915.

Millar on Leave from Blackboy Hill

She was born on 20th August 1916 whilst Millar was at Larkhill, England undergoing training, before leaving for France.

Alice Margaret Mary (Marjorie) Birth Notice 1916

The youngest daughter of Alfred and Emily Alice, Alys, was married to Charles Kane-White on 28th June 1916 at St Oswald’s, Chester, England.

Millar served overseas from 11th May 1916 until his return on 18th October 1919.

During his service in Belgium, Millar’s artillery unit was shelled by German artillery and Millar was gassed. He also faced a Courts Martial charged with three counts of “disobeying a General Order” in that he had “caused to be further overdrawn his active pay … contrary to A.I.F. General Order No. 723”.

Millar's participation in the war, the action in which he was engaged when he was gassed, and his Courts Martial, are in the Appendices:

• Appendix 5    - Military Service World War 1 1915 - 1919
• Appendix 5.1 - Chronological Order of War Service 1915 - 1919
• Appendix 5.2 - Composition of the 12th Australian Field Artillery Brigade
• Appendix 5.3 - December 1917 War Diaries of the 12th Australian Field Artillery Brigade WW1
• Appendix 5.4 - Proceedings of Courts Martial of Millar Buzzard 1919

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[99] In 1914, the British Imperial Government remained responsible for the foreign policy of the empire, including declarations of war, so the British Government of Herbert Asquith did not need to consult any of the colonial governments when making its declaration of war. The Australian Government’s role was therefore only to determine the extent of its military contribution to the Imperial forces. However, while Australia’s constitutional independence from Britain has long since been clear, then as now, Australia’s parliament has no formal constitutional role in decisions to go war.

It is unlikely that Australian Prime Minister Fisher or his contemporaries, had any idea of the human and financial sacrifice of Australia’s commitment in World War 1. Overall, 324,000 members served overseas with the Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) and of these, over 60,000 were killed and 156,000 wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner.

Similarly, when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced on 3 September 1939 that Britain was at war with Germany, Australia was again automatically at war, with Australia’s Prime Minister Robert Menzies announcing on the radio (one hour and fifteen minutes later): “It is my melancholy duty to inform you officially, that in consequence of a persistence by Germany in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain has declared war upon her and that, as a result, Australia is also at war”.