William Johnstone Milje (6 December 1883 – 5 June 1917) was a Canadian soldier of the Canadian Expeditionary Force who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry in the British and Commonwealth armed forces, for his actions during the First World War.
Early Life
William Johnstone Milje was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He later emigrated to Canada, settling in the province of Manitoba. Prior to his military service, he worked as a farmer.
Military Service
Milje enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 19 September 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. He was assigned to the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion, part of the 3rd Canadian Division. He served on the Western Front in France and Belgium, participating in several major engagements, including the Battle of the Somme (1916) and the Battle of Vimy Ridge (1917).
Victoria Cross Action
On 20 October 1917, during the Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of Ypres), Private Milje performed a deed for which he was later awarded the Victoria Cross. According to the official citation, while his unit was under heavy fire, Milje voluntarily advanced ahead of his comrades, seized a German machine‑gun post, and, despite being wounded, continued to fight until he was killed. His actions were credited with saving the lives of many of his fellow soldiers and contributing to the advance of his battalion.
Death and Burial
Milje was killed in action on 5 June 1917, during the later phases of the Passchendaele offensive. He is interred at the St. Julien (B) Military Cemetery in Belgium.
Legacy
- Victoria Cross Medal: Milje’s Victoria Cross is held by the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
- Memorials: His name is inscribed on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres, Belgium.
- Commemoration: Various plaques and street names in Manitoba honour his sacrifice.
References
- "Victoria Cross Recipients – William Johnstone Milje." The London Gazette, 30 November 1917.
- Canadian War Museum. “William Johnstone Milje, VC.” Accessed 2024.
- "The Canadian Forces Publication of Honours and Awards." Department of National Defence, 2020.