Squadron Leader Denis ''Dusty'' Miller DSO DFC

New Zealand pilot who flew on the 'thousand bomber' raids during the war.

After learning to fly in his native New Zealand, Denis 'Dusty' Miller went in 1941 to Britain to serve in Bomber Command, gaining the DSO and DFC for his bravery and leadership in two tours of operations against heavily defended targets. Remaining in Britain as an airline pilot after the war he took part in the expansion of BOAC.

Denis Miller was born in 1918 and educated at Auckland Grammer School. After he arrived in the UK his first operational posting was to 50 Squadron from No.16 operational Training unit at RAF Upper Heyford, flying Hampdens.

27/28 August 1941. Hampden AD908, P/O Miller, Sgt Rickard, Sgt Wake, Sgt Horsley GARDENING NECTARINE AREA

29/30 August 1941. Hampden AD908, P/O Miller, Sgt Rickard, Sgt Wake, Sgt Horsley. BOMBING FRANKFURT

2/3 September 1941. Hampden AE248, P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Smith, Sgt Horsley. BOMBING FRANKFURT

6/7 September 1941. Hampden AE184, P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Smith, Sgt Horsley. GARDENING ONIONS AREA

29/30 September 1941. Hampden AE367, P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Williams, Sgt Horsley. BOMBING HAMBURG

13/14 October 1941. Hampden AE306, P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Williams, Sgt Horsley. BOMBING COLOGNE

20/21 October 1941. Hampden AE400, P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Williams, Sgt Horsley. BOMBING BREMEN

23/24 October 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Williams, Sgt Horsley. BOMBING KIEL

29/30 October 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Moore, Sgt Weed. BOMBING SCHIPOL AERODROME

30/1 October 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Bernard, Sgt Wood. HAMBURG

3/4 November 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Wood. GARDENING NASTURTIUM AREA

6/7 November 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Wood. GARDENING ONIONS AREA

8/9 November 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Wood.  BOMBING ESSEN

30/1 November 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Croppi, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Vernal. GARDENING JASMIN AREA

27 December 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, P/O Fair, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. SMOKE SCREEN LAYING MAALOY ISLAND

28/29 December 1941. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Symes, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Morgan. BOMBING HULS

14/15 January 1942. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. BOMBING HAMBURG

22/23 January 1942. Hampden AE429,  P/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. BOMBING MUNSTER

7 February 1942. Hampden AT125,  P/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. GARDENING NECTARINE AREA

12 February 1942. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt McLean, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. BOMBING BATTLESHIPS

12/13 February 1942. Hampden AE400, P/O Miller, Sgt McLean, Sgt Horsley, SgtWilliams. GARDENING WANGEROOGE AREA

21/22 February 1942. Hampden AE400, P/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. BOMBING COBLENZ

24 February 1942. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. GARDENING SCHILLIG AREA

25/26 February 1942. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. GARDENING

27/28 February 1942. Hampden AE400,  P/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. BOMBING KIEL

3/4 March 1942. Hampden AE400, F/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams.  BOMBING PARIS

8/9 March 1942. Hampden AE400, F/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Thomas. BOMBING ESSEN

10/11 March 1942. Hampden AE400, F/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. BOMBING ESSEN

13/14 March 1942. Hampden AE218, F/O Miller, Sgt Gurd, Sgt Horsley, Sgt Williams. BOMBING COLOGNE

Followinghis tour he was posted as an instructor on Wellingtons with 25 Operational Training Unit on 22 April 1942. With 25 OTU he took part in three of the ''thousand bomber raids'' against German cities for which Air Cheif Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, cheif of Bomber Command, ransacked the remaining units to make up the magic four figure number. Miller was awarded the DFC.

He was awarded an immediate DSO during his second tour, with 49 (Lancaster) Squadron after a lengthy sortie in April 1944 to lay mines off Gdynia, Poland, the principal naval base on the Baltic. He and his crew were the lead aircraft and came under heavy fire from shore and shipborne flak. While returning over Denmark, his aircraft was attacked by two JU88's, which he eluded by flying into cloud.

His DSO citation reads "With a complete disregard of danger in the face of the enemy, he continues to go into battle with the utmost determination and astonishing keenness. His personal example has been an inspiration to his men".

At the end of the war, Miller joined BOAC and over 28 years flew a wide variety of aircraft from Yorks and Constellations to Boeing 707s.

His wife, Margery, died in 2007 and he is survived by a Daughter. His son who became a boeing 747 pilot with British Airways, predeceased him.

Squadron Leader Denis ''Dusty'' Miller, DSO DFC, bomber and airline pilot, was born on November 12 1918. He died on March 24th March 2009, aged 90.