William Henry MILLS

MILLS, William Henry

Service Number: 3396
Enlisted: 27 July 1915, Enlisted at Lithgow, NSW
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 1st Pioneer Battalion
Born: Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom, 1893
Home Town: Lithgow, Lithgow, New South Wales
Schooling: Church Trust School, Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, England
Occupation: In England he was a coal miner [1911 census].Labourer
Died: Died of wounds, 53rd Casualty Clearing Station. Peronne, France, 14 September 1918
Cemetery: La Chapelette British and Indian Cemetery, Peronne
Plot 111, Row B, Grave 9. Headstone inscription reads: In memory of the dearly loved son of Mr. & Mrs. Mills of Bulwell, La Chapelette British and Indian Cemetery, Peronne, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

27 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3396, Enlisted at Lithgow, NSW
5 Oct 1915: Involvement Private, 3396, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: ''
5 Oct 1915: Embarked Private, 3396, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney
13 Sep 1918: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3396, Shell wounds to the chest
14 Sep 1918: Involvement Private, 3396, 1st Pioneer Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3396 awm_unit: 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-09-14

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Biography contributed by Carol Foster

Arrived in Australia aged 21 years

Son of Henry and Edith Maria Mills of 3 Heiron Place, Stockwell Street, Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, Englland; brother of Henry Mills of Lithgow, NSW

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Meda, Victory Medal

Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon

William was the son of Henry a coal miner and Edith Maria Mills, née Cattermole  of 3 Heiron Place, Stockwell Street, Bulwell, Nottingham. His father Henry was born in 1872 in Kegworth, Leicestershire and his mother Edith Maria Cattermole was born in 1871 at Earl Soham, Suffolk. Their marriage is recorded in 1892 in the Basford Registration area, they went on to have three children, sadly one died in infancy prior to 1911 ; their surviving children were William Henry b 1893 Bulwell and Fanny b 1900 also in Bulwell. In the 1911 census the family are living at 13 Austin Street, Bulwell and are shown as Henry 39 years a coal miner living with his wife Edith Maria 40 years and their 2 children , William Henry 18 years a coal miner and Fanny Mills 11 years a scholar. At some point between 1911 and  before 1914 William emigrated to Australia because at the outbreak of the Great War he enlists into the Australian Army.

Extract from the 'Nottingham Evening Post', dated 7th October 1918:- “MILLS. – Died of wounds Sept., 14th, 1918, Pte. W. Hy. Mills, Pioneers, Australian Imperial Force. A bitter blow, a shock severe, to part with one I loved so dear. – From his sorrowing sweetheart Flo.”

 

He is remembered on the  St Mary the Virgin and All Souls War Memorial at Nottingham (Bulwell)

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