Tribute to war hero John Miller

John ‘Dusty’ Miller, a war hero thought to be one of the last surviving members of The Chindits, an elite Special Forces unit, has died at home in Smallbridge, aged 97.

Mr Miller was awarded The Burma Star for his service in The Burma Campaign during the Second World War.

Originally from Liverpool, Mr Miller joined the Lancashire Fusiliers and completed his training in 1939 in Bury. He was posted to India, where he later joined up with The Chindits, whose official name was the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.

The Chindits was made of up British troops, Gurkhas and members of the Burmese Rifles, who served in horrific conditions in Burma and India in 1943 and 1944. They specialised in guerrilla warfare and fought deep behind Japanese lines. Their mission was to disrupt communications and the supply routes fuelling the enemy war effort. They suffered heavy casualties with 1,396 killed and 2,434 wounded.

Mr Miller is to be given a military funeral attended by members of Lancashire Fusiliers at Bury.

Councillor Alan McCarthy, Rochdale Borough Council Lead Member for Armed Forces, said: “It is important that we pay tribute and recognise the sacrifices our armed service personnel have made, past present and future, and be forever humbled for our present day freedom that we enjoy today.

“Our armed forces personnel are prepared to lay down their lives to protect us, we as a nation should hold them in the highest esteem and afford them the respect that is duly warranted.”

Mr Miller's funeral will be held on Thursday 21 January 2016 at 2pm at Rochdale Cremetorium.