Leslie Hubert John Miller

Leslie Hubert John Miller, of 58 Colin Street in West Perth was 26 years of age and owner of the fishing boat Destiny. He worked with two others, including Colin Bryce, who lived aboard the Destiny, and Laurie Smith who lived nearby in East Fremantle.

In heavy weather, the Destiny went aground at Rocky Bay in the Swan River on the morning of 7 June 1946. A dinghy was swept away from the stern sheets of the boat. The three crew made a raft from old practice bombs, and Miller set off on it with paddles to try and get the dinghy back, but he disappeared.

The makeshift raft was later found in Dead Man’s Cove, Rocky Bay.

An intensive searched was carried out by two launches from the HMAS Leeuwin, the Water Police and the North and East Fremantle Police. Almost exactly a week later, his body was found floating in the south-west corner of the bay, by Water Police Constable T. Badcock from his rowing boat.

An inquest was held on the 4 July in front of Acting-Coroner Mr. R. A. Williams, J.P.

Sergeant Harvey assisted the Acting-Coroner and stated that the two other men that were on the Destiny had gone to the country, and the Police had been unable to serve witnesses’ summonses on them.

Albert Victor Williams, boiler maker, of Grey Street in Fremantle gave evidence at the inquest.

At about 11:15am on the 7 June, he saw the fishing boat Destiny aground on a bank at Rocky Bay in North Fremantle. A dinghy was drifting towards the naval depot on the other side of the river. It was squally at the time and the river was choppy.

He saw a man throw a raft into the water and board it. The man reached the bank and walked about 60 yards chest-high in water. After leaving the bank, the man got into deep water and climbed back on to the raft. By that time he was in rough water and fell off the raft two or three times before it got away from him. The man swam towards the shore, but disappeared before he got there.

The Acting-Coroner found the deceased accidentally drowned at Rocky Bay in North Fremantle on the 7 June, and that it was a clear case of misadventure.

He left behind his Mother, Annie Jane Miller who resided with him in West Perth. Miller had enlisted with the AIF General Reinforcements at Karrakatta in 1940. In February 1946, his Medical Category had been reassigned from I to AII for “Poor Physique,” and was placed on the IA list.

His death occurred whilst an illegal absenter, and his discharge was affected in absentia.