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A
man of courage
Bruce Robert Miles
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Bruce
Miles as a pilot in WW2.
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BRUCE
Robert Miles OAM, well-known Sydney criminal defence lawyer and
former member of the Royal Australian Air Force, died on August
7.
Soon after the outbreak of World War 2 Bruce enlisted in the Air
Force and went to Canada as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme.
He later commented, “I was a coward – there was a touch
of insanity about joining the Air Force in the war, just as there
was insanity playing rugby at my size. I’ll tell you how unheroic
I was: I was flying low over Dieppe one day when I just closed my
eyes and hoped for the best – fortunately the navigator was
very brave.”
At his funeral on August 13 a friend, Cyril Netherey, spoke of Bruce’s
war career. “He was anything but a coward. Serving with No.
464 Squadron RAAF, he flew Hudson bombers in low-level missions
over Europe. He was shot down twice, both times getting the plane
down, but he was hospitalised after being propelled through the
windscreen and wounded by shrapnel in the leg, leaving him with
a lifelong limp. He was mentioned in dispatches.”
Unable to return to flying, Bruce found himself as the sports officer
for the Air Force. He organised combined services rugby union and
cricket teams to play against other countries. He played halfback
in the Australian rugby union team and was scorer in a test at Lords.
He also organised the first surf carnival to be held in England.
During this time he met his wife Lillian. They would be married
for 58 years and have five children, 18 grandchildren and five great
grandchildren. Their union was one of love and devotion.
At the end of the war Bruce coordinated the billeting of troops
throughout England. At one point he took over an entire town.
After the war he completed his legal studies. In a career lasting
more than 50 years Bruce epitomised the role of defence attorney.
From the beginning of his legal career he was dedicated to helping,
as he himself remarked, the hopeless and helpless.
Bruce’s first job in the law was working in an office established
by Doc Evatt to assist returned servicemen.
In succeeding years he became a high-profile criminal defence lawyer
in New South Wales.
He probably appeared as advocate in more trials than anyone else
in Australian legal history.
He was involved with the Aboriginal Legal Service, representing
people he believed were the most disadvantaged in the community.
He fought their cases with passion and ingenuity. Many people were
influenced by his common decency and humanity, by his dedication
and his work as a defence lawyer.
In the war, he learnt lessons of courage and bravery which inspired
him all his life.
The day before he died, a small token of our community’s recognition
was made when New South Wales Governor Professor Marie Bashir presented
him with his OAM awarded in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours.
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