SAMUEL MILLEN: THE LONGEST FLIGHT

Samuel Millen was born in Whanganui in New Zealand. His mother Olive was a New Zealander from an Anglo/Irish family. His father Samuel (senior) was a recent immigrant from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In civilain life Samuel (junior) , known as “Pat” due to his Irish origens was a truck driver, but also an amateur pilot. He joined the Royal New Zealand Airforce Reserve in 1938 and volunteered to enlist with the RAF, arriving in UK that summer.

In July 1940 he joined No1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) a top-secret (often for MI6) high-altitude reconnaissance unit flying modified Spitfires, painted dark blue, which were unarmed, allowing them to fly at nearly 30,000 feet.

Sam Millen flew 50 missions over Germany including a record breaking 5 hours 55 Minute flight non-stop to Berlin that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross .His record still stands today.

Two months later, on 16 December 1940 Sam was shot down by the German anti-aircraft battery at nearby Lannilis while carrying out a low-level high-speed reconnaissance of Brest. He was 26 years old.

Sam’s body was washed up on the beaches of Tréflez. The Nazi’s refused to allow him to be buried in the village churchyard, but interred him in the dunes of Keremma near a small abandoned chapel surrounded by minefields.

For 4 years the villagers braved the mines to put flowers on his grave. When the Nazi’s were finally evicted in September 1944 and the minefileds cleared, Samuel was reburied on 11 November 1945 as the sole allied serviceman in the village churchyard. A lonely end for a boy from Whanganui

As a result of the combined efforts du Rector de Tréflez, l’abbé Pouliquen, French Army Captain Hausamann of Keremma, and Mlle. Herveline Roué (the mayor’s daughter) Samuel’s mother was eventually contacted in Whanganui. Samuel’s father having passed away within twelve months of his death.

In 1950 Samuel’s mother Olive made the long journey from New Zealand to visit his grave. She later wrote:

“When home is so very far away, it is a very comforting thought to feel that our dearly loved only son lies among such loyal people”

For 80 years, Samuel’s grave has been honoured three times a year – on 8 May, 11 November and 16 December; his grave carefully tended by the villagers.

This year on the 80th anniversary of his reburial, members of Samuel’s Irish family once again joined local people to honour his sacrifice.

okioki i runga i te Rangimarie Samuel Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou.

With thanks to Jonathan Ives, Errol Martyn, ABBSA3945, Aircrew Remembered, Adam Lenton, Ian Martyn, Anna Gilderdale, Dominique Brehon, Jean-Paul Cornec