Pfc. Ellis B. Millard

How this story crossed my path

During the ongoing search for information, photos, and stories about 'Antwerp X', an intervieuw with Rachel and Agnes Crauwels presented the opportunity to look through the family photo albums. In these were two photos referring to the stay of American soldiers in or near Putte. Soldiers from the anti-aircraft artillery who protected the port of Antwerp from V-bombs during 'Operation Antwerp X'.

For their contribution to our freedom, I would like to take this opportunity to tell their story and give them the recognition they deserve. Family friend to the Crauwels family was Pfc. Ellis B. Millard of the 494th AAA Gun Battalion. He gave the Crauwels family a photo of him and some Crauwels family members with the following message written on the back: 'Ellis Millard - 3435 Arbor St. - Philadelphia U.S.A.'. The photo disappeared for years in the photo album of Agnes Crauwels.

Biography and Wartime Service

Ellis Benton Millard was born on January 26, 1906, in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, to Salina Watts (1865-1918), age 40, and Isaiah Willets Millard (1865-1941), age 40. He had five brothers and one sister, Ellis was the sixth of seven children.

Ellis B. Millard enlisted in the Army on march 17, 1942 at Camp Lee, Virginia, and got his basic training as a private with the Coast Artillery Corps. A search through the Morning Reports from D Battery, 494th AAA Gun Battalion yielded his ASN number #33156229. According to the Morning Reports from January 1944 from D/494th, he was listed from sik to duty with D Battery, 494th AAA Gun Bn.

After later moves that took the unit through Scotland, England and Normandy they were stationed in Putte, Belgium, as part of operation 'Antwerp X'. Ellis's battery, D Battery was set up from November 2 until November 6, 1944 in a field behind the Geerts family farm, near Schaapstraat, Putte. Due to shells exploding near their position (see the Klepper incident), the 494th decided to relocate Battery D a few hundred meters on November 6, 1944. They were ready for action at their new location in the Heerkenslei, Putte, that very same day. They remained there until December 17, 1944, when they moved to Brecht. This was due to the new flight path for the German V1 bombs. Since then the site at the Schaapstraat has been completely build up, the farm has been demolished, and the fields are now used as pasture for horses. Their first position was very close to the Geerts family residence which explains why they would have gotten acquainted with each other.

Ellis B. Millard married Dolores Blockley, 18 years old, in 1951, when he was 45. He died on December 13, 1979.

If anyone can help me with further identification of Pfc. Ellis B. Millard, please contact me

Gallery

click on the images to enlarge

Thanks to Rachel and Agnes Crauwels for sharing these photos from their family albums