A First World War memorial, dedicated to Private James Miller VC has been listed at Grade II by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.

The memorial, located in St Paul’s churchyard, Withnell, Lancashire, commemorates the extraordinary bravery of a local soldier who gave his life in service of his country.

Private James Miller, born in 1890 near Hoghton, Lancashire, displayed remarkable courage during a critical moment in the Battle of the Somme. 

A worker at a paper mill at Withnell Fold, James Miller enlisted at the outbreak of war, joining 7 Battalion the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment in September 1914.

The Battle of the Somme, fought between July and November 1916 was one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War, with over 57,000 British casualties suffered on the first day alone.

During action on the Somme on 30 July 1916, Miller’s unit took enemy positions, but at such a cost in casualties that reinforcements were needed to hold the ground gained in the assault.  Miller was selected to deliver the request to the adjacent company. The London Gazette recorded:

“His battalion was consolidating a position after its capture by assault. Private Miller was ordered to take an important message under heavy shell and rifle fire, and to bring back a reply at all costs. He was compelled to cross the open, and on leaving the trench was shot almost immediately in the back, the bullet coming through his abdomen. In spite of this, with heroic courage and self-sacrifice, he compressed the gaping wound in his abdomen, delivered his message, staggered back with his answer, and fell dead at the feet of the officer to whom he delivered it. He gave his life with a supreme devotion to duty.”

Reinforcements arrived, his actions saving the lives of many of his comrades. Inspiring public acclaim, Miller’s image appeared in a series of cigarette cards celebrating Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War.  He was also the subject of a poem composed by a comrade entitled The Story Of The Message, sold to raise funds for the British Red Cross Association.

In 1917, the memorial in St Paul’s churchyard, funded by public subscription, was erected at Miller’s family church. Taking the form of a Celtic wheelhead cross in white Cornish granite, it stands around two metres tall.

Miller is also recorded on a family gravestone in the churchyard, alongside the names of his brothers Alex and George, who also died in action later in the war, George Miller having earlier attended the unveiling of James’s memorial.  Alongside details of his deeds, an inscription of the base of the memorial’s plinth reads:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

In 1989, members of his family visited Miller’s gravestone at Becordel-Becourt in northern France and photographed it with his VC, which was later donated to the regimental museum in Lancaster. The museum also holds his shaving mirror and case, which were damaged by the fatal bullet.

Sarah Charlesworth, Listing Team Leader North at Historic England, said:

“As we remember the fallen this November, the listing of Private James Miller VC’s memorial serves as a poignant reminder of an individual’s extraordinary bravery and the heartbreak experienced by so many families during the First World War.  Private Miller’s actions inspired people to come together to fund this memorial and it’s fitting that it’s now protected for future generations.”

The memorial's listing is part of Historic England's ongoing work to recognise and protect significant historic sites across the country. As custodians of the National Heritage List for England, Historic England plays a crucial role in safeguarding important places that contribute to local identity and pride.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Blackburn said:

 “We are delighted that the memorial in St Paul’s churchyard to Private James Millar is receiving listed status and that the memory of his valour and commitment to others will be preserved for future generations. The scriptural quotation on the plinth is a reminder of the hope of the Christian faith and a comfort to the family amidst the tragedy of loss.”