Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Dick Mills
1912-1995

Baba Dick was born at Naghir Island on the 10th of September 1912 to James Mills of Samoa, a businessman, and Nera nee Bob, a local woman, who was the daughter of Wawa from Poid and Bob, a south sea man.

In original Mills family, there were 6 brothers and 3 sisters. The brothers were : Frank, Victor, Dick, Songhie, Mote and Lui from Sepa, and sisters were : Maria, Sana and Carmella.

Baba Dick received his early education on the schools at Coconut Island (Poruma) and Moa.

While young, he worked with his uncles on their cutter on the Central Islands. He loved the sea and became a great seaman.

He worked for various marine products from Bechdemer called in Creole Pislama, as well as Trochus and Pearl Shells.

In those days Torres Strait heavily relied on these marine produce as the main industry.

In 1942, in the middle of his work, he met Harriet Bowie and they married at Badu on the 20th of November on the same year. Sissy Harriet is the eldest daughter of Freddy and Annie Bowie and granddaughter of Bowie and Baimad from a place called Matan Ubar at Badu. Traditionally she traces her family roots to Aragan at Badu and Wagadagam at Mabuiag.

Baba Dick and Sissy Harriet grew a wonderful and respectable family. From their marriage they had three children. They were: Richard (now deceased), Ellen and Patrick. They also adopted and grew children as their own. They were: Fred who they made the eldest of the family, Brian, Thomas and Paul.

During his life as a seaman Baba Dick worked with Japanese Pearlers learning the trade and skippered masterboats of Bowden Pearling Company, luggers - "Taniwa" and "Sydney".

His seamanship was recognised by the army in WW2 so they employed his skills in the Water Transport Division. During the War he and his brother Baba Victor worked in the same division.

They shared the workload and served our country in this manner. Baba Victor transported the troops up the Fly River and Baba Dick waited at Maruki to pick them up and transport them to TI. Together with his brother he dedicated his life facing the dangers in the War Zone.

After two years in the War he came back to Naghir his home. He was a member of RSL, the Return Service League.

The sea was his life, Baba again worked in the Pearling Industry. The Mills were business people and they had a family lugger called "Cessa". So Baba skippered this boat. As Pearling declined, later in his life he took another vessel called "Ellen" on crayfishing ventures.

It was during this time that he retired and became a pensioner. When we look at his life, we can see that he was a hard working man. We can see he contributed enormously to the Island's economy and to the national growth of Pearling Industry.

He comes from a well known and respected family of Naghir Island, all of whom emerged as men of the sea and skippers or captains, from father to sons, their sons, and their grandsons. Other members of Mills family hold professional positions at all levels. His mother's family is also a very respected family both in the Central Islands, Moa, Hammond and Narupai.

A descendant of Bob family he is related to these families: Bob, Nawia, Pearson, Garnier, Sorogo and Billy. Those of us who worked with him will remember his brilliant talent, as the best resource person who possessed the deep knowledge of the Torres Strait waterways and the shapes, sizes and locations of many l reefs that gave marine products for the development of our economy.

Baba spent almost two years in the hospital. He had suffered too long and finally he had been called to his eternal rest with his Lord.

To him I too personally pay my deepest respect and recognise him as our cultural elder. I fondly remember, when for the first time the Cultural Festival was hosted in 1987, Baba Dick and Sissy Harriet were the first people to come forward and support the program.

Baba is the second last son of James Mills and he is survived by one last brother: Baba Mote Nua Mills who is the last living uncle and father to the Mills brothers and sisters.

Source: Obituary - Dick Mills 1912-1995 (1995, March 17). Torres News (Thursday Island, Qld. : 1957-2015), p.8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article255418809