Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of David Milne of Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Private Milne emigrated to Canada in 1910 and farmed near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan prior to joining the army. Private Milne's body was not recovered from the battlefield. He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, France.
An extract from the Second Supplement to The London Gazette, dated June 8, 1917, records the following:
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in attack. On approaching the first objective, Pte. Milne observed an enemy machine gun firing on our advancing troops. Crawling on hands and knees, he succeeded in reaching the gun, killing the crew with bombs, and capturing the gun. On the line re-forming, he again located a machine gun in the support line, and stalking this second gun as he had done the first, he succeeded in putting the crew out of action and capturing the gun. His wonderful bravery and resource on these two occasions undoubtedly saved the lives of many of his comrades. Pte. Milne was killed shortly after capturing the second gun.
Digital gallery of Private William Johnstone Milne
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Photo of William Milne
Private W.J. Milne, V.C. -
Newspaper clipping
Extract from the Canadian Daily Record, June 1917 -
Attestation Paper (front)
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Attestation Paper (back)
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Award Citation
Personal Information Sheet -
Canadian Daily Record
Private William Johnstone Milne<br> Lower right-hand picture<br> Extract from the Canadian Daily Record, June 1917 -
Poem by Scott Allan White
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Inscription on Vimy Memorial
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Vimy Memorial
Canada's Vimy Memorial, located approximately 8 kilometres to the north-east of Arras, France. May the sacrifice of so many never be forgotten. (J. Stephens) -
Cenotaph
Barrie Military Park, Canadian Victoria Cross Recipients, Cenotaph -
Document
Two cases of gonorrhoea resulted in stoppage of pay totalling 19 days. -
Honour roll
Memorial plaque in front of the United Kingdom High Commission in Ottawa to commemorate Canadians who have been awarded the Victoria Cross. -
Medal
Medals posthumously awarded to Private William Johnstone Milne, who was killed in action at Vimy Ridge, France, while serving in the 16th Canadian Battalion (The Canadian Scottish), Canadian Expeditionary Force. These medals, displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, are (left to right): the Victoria Cross, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. (Image taken by Gregory J. Barker of Barrie, Ontario, in 2024.)
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
Digital gallery of
Private William Johnstone Milne
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 294 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
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