Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Arthur was the 5th child of 10. The family lived at Koorine Station and Arthur attended the Kalangadoo School in 1902 and 1903. Arthur’s first job was working on a cray boat at Port MacDonald . The Mills family moved to Kaniva in 1908 to build Sdy Moar’s house and then went on to build houses in the disputed territory of the Victorian and South Australian borders.
Arthur joined a coastal steamer in 1911 and travelled to Queensland, returning to Kaniva in 1914.
On the 7th September 1914 Arthur William Mills joined the A.I.F 7th Battalion, completing recruitment and training at Broadmeadows.
In mid September Private Arthur Mills marched through Melbourne in the 7th Battalion and a fortnight later they embarked upon the HMT Hororata bound for the Middle East via Western Australia. In early April 1915 the Battalion moved to Alexandria and from there to Lemnos Island
“The Landing at Gallipoli”. On the morning of the 25th April 1915 at about 5.30am, the Battalion landed in the ships boats as the tow boats had not arrived as planned. B Company was first to land and occupy a knoll above Fishermans Hut. Of the 140 men that made up B Company only 38 reached shore.
The 7th Battalion was scattered but still able to establish the beach head losing many men in the first week. On the 29th April the 7th Battalion was relieved to the foot of Victoria Gully.
Private Mills second battle at Gallipoli occured when the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions advanced into intense fire to within 500m of the Turkish trenches at Krithia, this advance was stalled due to the loss of officers and men and were relieved that night with the loss of 40 men and 3 officers, with 133 wounded and 88 missing in action Private Arthur Mills was then promoted to Corporal.
For the next 2 months members of the 7th Battalion were still spread between other Battalions.
The battle of Lone Pine commenced on the 6th August with the 7th opposite “Johnstons Jolley”. At 4.00am on the 10th August the 7th Battalion was attacked heavily by the Turks at “Johnstons Jolley” and “Woods Trench” by 6.30am the attack failed. The Battalion received 48 hrs rest before returning to Lone Pine. The Battalion entered the battle with 14 officers and 680 other ranks. It lost 12 officers and 342 killed or wounded. Corporal Mills had received a bullet to the calf.
From the 12th August till the 12 September the Battalion remained at Lone Pine having 2 days rest then 2 days in the trenches. On the 18 December 1915 the evacuation of Gallipoli started. By 3.15 am on the 20th December the last of 7th Battalion left the Gallipoli trenches and embarked for the Sapri Camp, Egypt.
The 7th Battalion had lost 414 officers and soldiers and had 1009 wounded.
In March 1916 the A.I.F was reorganised prior to transfer to Europe. Corporal Arthur Mills was promoted to Staff Sergeant. The 7th Battalion arrived in France and entered the front line trenches for the first time on the 3rd May 1916. The first major battle in France was at Pozieres in the Somme Valley where it fought from 23rd July to 21 August.
After Pozieres they manned the trenches at Ypres Salient in Belgium, before returning again to the Somme Valley. Staff Sergeant Mills saw out the horrendous winter of 1916-1917. By November 1918 the 7th Battalion had moved throughout the Western Front and Belgium being involved in battle after battle until 11am on the 11th November 1918 when the guns fell silent.
The 7th Battalion had been so reduced that it and the 6th Battalion were amalgamated - the war was over. Staff Sergeant Arthur William Mills had completed 1527 days active service. The A.I.F began returning to Australia for Demobilisation. Staff Sergeant Arthur Mills was awarded the following medals.
1914—15 Star
The Victory Medal
The British War Medal
The Gallipoli Medallion
After the war Arthur married Elizabeth Potton in 1920 and lived in Kalangadoo. In 1924 they moved to Kaniva and conducted a building business until the depression in 1930. Building was very slow so Arthur worked on windmills, installing and maintenance until a fall from a windmill injured his spine. It took some thirteen months to recover.
With the outbreak of WWII, Arthur enlisted into the Volunteer Defence Corp Kaniva with the rank of Sergeant. Sergeant Mills ran shoots at Dimboola Rifle Range on Saturday afternoons and camps every third weekend.
Arthur and Elizabeth had 4 children John (Jack), Norman, Ina and Robert (Bob). Arthur loved the outdoor life and was an expert gunman and fisherman. In later life, he was always ready for a yarn and his many friends and acquaintances always enjoyed the tall tales he would tell, sometimes “slightly” exaggerated accounts of his fishing and shooting achievements. Arthur was an active member of the Kaniva RSL and held the position of President for some years.
Arthur William Mills passed away on the 22nd November 1956 and lies at rest in the Kaniva Cemetery.