Great-grandfather who went to war at 16 was ‘a real gentleman’

A ‘legend’ great-grandfather who was a ‘true gentleman’ and a popular figure has died aged 99.

Born on February 3rd 1925, Albert Miller lived in Kirkby for over 60 years and was known to all his loved ones by his naval nickname, Dusty. Joining the Royal Navy at the age of 16 as a cadet, Dusty went on to serve in the Second World War, first in the Atlantic convoys and later as a submariner in the Burma campaign.

His wartime service was recognized by the four campaign medals he received – the 39-45 Star, the Atlantic Convoy Medal, the Burma Star with Pacific Clasp and the International Submarine Service Medal. And for decades, he served as parade marshal for the Royal British Legion and became known for his extensive charity work.

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Dusty was also popular in the local community, often visiting Kirkby town center and becoming a familiar face among vendors and stallholders. Dusty, who had eight children, 15 grandchildren, plus great-grandchildren, died aged 99 on May 28.

Paying tribute to him, his eldest son Larry Miller, 69, told the ECHO: “He went to 16 Renshaw Street and they were recruiting at Central Hall, which is still there. He signed up and the next day they sent him to Ipswich on a train. and was there for six weeks – then moved to Scotland where he was assigned to his first ship.

“He went out on his first voyage and they were pulling into a European port and because it was my uncle Bill, my dad’s brother, he was on a ship going out and they were waving to each other. He was only 16 years old – to travel down. at Ipswich in a country at war – you can imagine how hard that was.

“Being estranged from his family, it was huge. Since then he has traveled around the world.

You can pay tribute to Albert “Dusty” Miller in the comments section below.

“As a father, he was always there for us. As a person, he was a people person – he liked to communicate with people, he liked to socialize with people. One of his great loves was his garden.

“When we moved to Kirkby we were about three years old and it was a really new town. The gardens were a novelty and we lived in a maisonette on the ground floor. It had two gardens, a front and a back.

“My dad got a wheelbarrow and wanted to put fresh soil in the garden, so he took it about a mile away. He would take me with him to St Chad’s Church, where there was a small grove and he would fill it. Time after time they would do that.”

Throughout his life, Dusty was heavily involved in supporting and raising money for local charities such as Alder Hey. Many will also remember that Dusty volunteered as Santa Claus and was the marshal for Memorial Day, a role he continued until he was 97 years old.

Larry said: “He was well known for his poppy calls. He was the local poppy organizer and all the boxes were sent to him to give to schools, cadets and shops.

“He became known in schools and was asked to come and speak to children to educate them about that time. He settled in the center of Kirkby with his poppies’.

Larry said Dusty’s daily routine was to garden and then head into Kirkby town center where he would talk to the many vendors and stall holders. Larry said: “He might only come home with a pint of milk but he talked to everybody.

“People would say, how are you Dusty and he would shout back – magic.” Dusty’s family have seen hundreds of tributes paid on Facebook so far, with many in the town remembering their great-grandfather as a “Kirkby legend” and “true gentleman”.

In a joint tribute, Dusty’s family said: “Our family is deeply saddened by his passing. He lived in Kirkby for 66 years and was a well known and much loved member of the community.

“We have many wonderful memories that we will cherish for a lifetime and would like to thank the community for their condolences and support during this difficult time.”

Dusty’s funeral takes place in St Michael’s and Angels Church in Kirkby at 11.30am on June 12. The family welcomes community members who knew Dusty to attend.

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