George Millar DSO MC (1910-2005)

George Millar delivering her from Menai Straits to Hamble following purchase from EA Crosby

George Millar (foreground) delivering Amokura from the Menai Straits to the Hamble shortly after he bought her. John Roberts, who captained the yacht for Crosby, is on the left of the picture, presumably helping with the delivery

George Millar owned Amokura from 1954-60.  He was well-known as an author particularly for Maquis which chronicled his exploits in WW2 behind enemy lines – he escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp and on return to London promptly enlisted with the Special Operations Executive, deployed in occupied France.

His other books included Horned Pigeon, A White Boat from England, and Oyster River, which described a summer cruising the French Gulf of Morhiban with his wife Isabel aboard Amokura.

Millar’s cruises aboard Amokura are described in the RCC journals of 1954 and 1956 and his life is described in colourful detail in wikipedia and obituaries in the The Daily Telegraph and The Independent.

It is also worth reading George Millar’s letter to David Japp in January 1996, which describes his purchase of Amokura and refers to his friendship with later owner Richard Carr.