John Alexander Milne

Lt. Col. John Alexander ("Jock") Milne DSO (1872-1918), began life in rural Aberdeenshire. He rose through the ranks of the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, finally attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served with distinction at both Gallipoli and on the Western Front. He is much celebrated in his adopted home town of Bundaberg, Queensland, earning a place in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.

Early life Milne was born at Woodside of Homhead, Braes of Cromar, near Logie Coldstone in the county of Aberdeenshire in Scotland on 23 March 1872, son of Alexander Milne, labourer and Jane McCombie, a dressmaker. He grew up in the nearby parish of Kincardine O'Neil, attending school in the village of Torphins, and for that reason is commemorated there on the parish war memorials in Tarland, Kincardine O'Neil and Torphins.

In 1890, aged 18, Milne emigrated to Australia. He found work as a farm labourer, miner, engine driver, farmer and commercial traveller in agricultural hardware. In 1898, he married Marie Elise May Bull at Kilkavian Junction, Queensland. They had three sons. He also had an interest in military matters, and by 1908 was an officer in the 1st Battalion of the Wide Bay Regiment.

Mrs Milne was informed in a telegram that her husband had been severely wounded. He was declared unfit for service for four months. A more favourable report was sent to her on 11 June 1915, but a week later Milne was shipped to England and admitted to the Royal Free Hospital in London. It was not until October 1915 that he returned to Egypt for duty. By 4 April 1918, a crucial point of allied communications at Amiens was under threat of imminent capture. The allies, under General Gough, had established defences at Villers-Bretonneux. The village was strategically vital, as capture by the enemy would bring their artillery within range of bombarding Amiens. On the afternoon of 4 April 1918, allied forces began to withdraw in the face of what seemed to be irresistible opposition. However, a small force of British and Australian reserves, with Col. Milne leading the 36th Australian Infantry Battalion, supported by a company of the 35thAustralians and soldiers of the 6th Battalion London Regiment made a resolute counter-attack, successfully pushed back the 9th Bavarians despite being outnumbered, and were able to hold an extended defensive line against difficult odds. This had the effect of rallying others, and inspired further counter-attacks.

By next evening it was clear that the assault on Villers-Bretonneux had failed. General Ludendorff wrote of this episode in his war memoirs: “It was an established fact that the enemy’s resistance was beyond our strength…In agreement with the commanders concerned, G.H.Q. had to take the extremely difficult decision to abandon the attack on Amiens for good…The battle was over by the 4th April…”.

Researchers in recent years under the sponsorship of the Returned & Services League of Australia, have argued that this action marked a fundamental turning point in the course of the war. Certainly, Col. Milne and those under his command played a key role in the action on that day.

Death and aftermath Eight days later, on 12 April 1918, Jock Milne’s brave and illustrious career came to an end at the age of 46. A report from Lieut. Dunn, Assistant Adjutant, records: “Colonel Milne was badly mutilated by a shell that exploded right into Headquarters whilst he was dictating orders to the Adjutant. He was buried…about 20 yards from the spot at which he was killed. A suitable wooden cross was prepared and erected”. When the news reached Bundaberg, flags were flown at half-mast as a mark of respect. The army forwarded to Mrs Milne the insignia of her husband’s DSO in January of 1919. Correspondence followed regarding his various belongings. In April Mrs Milne wrote enquiring, pointing out that a year had passed since her husband’s death, and was informed (the news lagging some considerable time after the event once again) that three packages, sent from England on the S.S Barunga the previous June, had gone down with the ship when it was lost in transit as a result of enemy action. Inventories of Milne’s belongings were preserved. They betray a more than passing interest in both fishing and the various accoutrements of smoking, but also included books and letters, mathematical instruments, a portable camera, photographs and map of Paris. His kit bag, retrieved from the field, contained “Scotch heather” – a souvenir perhaps of the trip to Scotland shortly before his death.

According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, drawing among other things on personal information, Milne was an excellent rifle-shot, “Strong, broad-shouldered, seemingly fearless, with a powerful voice and marked Scotch accent, the sandy-haired Milne was well-liked and respected by his troops. A rugged individualist, with little respect for formality though a rigid disciplinarian, he was an eminently practical and competent soldier with a strong sense of duty”.