In a previous post the discrepancy between this soldiers date of birth and age on his attestation papers and the age of 17 years old stated on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission’s Grave Registration was noted. Subsequent to that post a blog commented by davidunderdown95 direct the author to the FreeBMD site and a digitized document that shows that Private A.E. Miller was born in the month of September 1899 in the Cranbrook District. Private Miller’s attestation papers state he was born in Canterbury, Kent County, England on September 3, 1887. Cranbrook Districts is a part of Kent County.
Below is a screen capture of the document (available full size later in post) that shows the registration of Albert Edward Miller. The document comes from the FreeBMD site, a genealogical resource for those interested in researching births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales.
If we compare this documentary evidence to his attestation papers we can note the date he gave the recruiters at the time of enlistment.
At this time it cannot be determined the circumstances of his enlistment but it is clear Private Miller lied about his age to make the minimum age requirement of 18 years old. We do know that the records at the CWGC do reflect his age as 17 so at some time information pertaining to the correct age of Private Miller was communicated to the authorities.
Private Miller’s young age at this death perhaps explains his mother’s keen desire and need to know the circumstances of his death which motivated her letter to the hospital in which Private Miller died.
Thanks to davidunderdown95 for bringing this document to light. He has a blog called halfmuffled which, in his words, “This blog will be looking at the men named on the First World War roll of honour of the Surrey Association of Church Bell Ringers.” I recommend you visit his work.
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History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 
Thanks for the recommendation. The details in the CWGC registers are the result of the Final Verification Form sent to the next of kin after the war (usually you’ll see the name of whoever this was on the headstone form on the CWGC website). Sadly these forms were not kept. CWGC entries without many details suggest that CWGC lost contact with the relatives–it could be well into the 1920s before these forms were being sent out, by which time many people had moved, or in other cases families were clinging to the desperate hope that a missing man would somehow turn up.
This man’s name was Albert not Allen.
Matt,
I have no idea why I was so consistent with my errors in regards to those two articles. I appreciate you making me aware of my errors and I have fixed them.
Eric