Derek Milam’s 30-year military career began as a Rifleman in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC). The KRRC was allied with the Queen’s Own Rifles until it amalgamated into the Royal Green Jackets in 1966. During his service, Derek deployed to Northern Ireland, Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Cyprus and was promoted to Warrant Officer 1st Class and appointed Regimental Sergeant-Major of his battalion.
After recently discovering his original christening certificate, Derek realized his biological father was also a Rifleman. Rifleman Leonard Desjardins joined the Canadian Army in 1943. After training in Canada and England and being charged with Absent Without Leave (AWOL) a number of times, he was posted as a reinforcement to the Queen’s Own just after D-Day. After an accidental injury in August, 1944 and several more instances of being AWOL, he returned to the Queen’s Own in October, 1944. Unfortunately, Rifleman Desjardins was killed in action on 25 April, 1945 near Ditzumerverlaat, Germany, just past the Dutch border, he was 20 years old.
In 2026, Derek contacted the Queen’s Own Rifles Museum to see if we had any further information on his father Rifleman Desjardins. The Museum was able to provide Derek with more information, a photo of his father and also sent a WWII vintage QOR capbadge, a QOR blazer badge, and a lapel pin. Derek was very pleased with the information and the items we provided:
“I served in the British Army for 30 years in The Kings Royal Rifles which later became The Royal Greenjackets so to find out my father was also a Rifleman makes me very proud.”
Derek and his wife plan to visit his father’s grave in Holten Canadian Military Cemetery in the Netherlands in the near future and says he will proudly wear his Queen’s Own blazer badge in memory of his father.
