Thomas William MILLS, R.E

Other Events and Attributes:

• Stationed: ? and 11 Sep 1900, Port Royal, Jamaica
• School Attendance: Bef 1883, Wood Street School
• School Attendance: Between 3 Jul 1883 and 15 Jun 1888, Vicarage Road School, Plumstead
• Census: 1891, not recorded; Missing from 1891 Census - assumption was that he had been posted to Jamaica. There are no census records of people serving abroad. Research now proves that he didn't enlist until 1892 - so where was he in 1891? Was he with his sister Louisa and her future family, the Carters, who were also missing from the Census in 1891?
• Stationed: 1 Apr 1892, F Company Royal Engineers, Chatham
• Stationed: 1 Apr 1893, 30th Company Royal Engineers, Plymouth
• Stationed: 2 Oct 1893, 30th Company Royal Engineers, Plymouth
• Stationed: 2 Apr 1894, 35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock
• Stationed: 1 Oct 1894, 35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock; The company was stationed at Pennar Point and was involved with experimental torpedos and submarine mining. 2011 - the old buildings have been demolished, the only remains are of the jetty.
• Appointed: Aft Oct 1894
• Stationed: 1 Apr 1895, 35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock
• Stationed: 1 Oct 1895, 35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock
• Stationed: 1 Apr 1896, 35th Company Royal Engineers, Pembroke Dock
• Appointed: 1 Sep 1897; The Muster Rolls of the Royal Engineers (WO16 3031 3032) show a Lance Corporal T Mills No. 26372 stationed at Pembroke Dock on the 1st April 1897 with the 35th Company Royal Engineers. This ties up with the photo of Eva Annie taken in Haverfordwest.
• Appointed: Aft 1898
• Appointed: Abt 1901

Notes:

Lance Corporal - R.E when he was married.

Second Corporal - R.E - When his son was born

Mechanist Staff Sergeant - R.E - When he died

Possibly stationed in Jamaica, Pembroke, Chepstow & Gosport areas. Ron remembers seeing the places in his army pay book (now lost).


Birth:
1874 Mar Quarter in EAST ASHFORD Volume 02A Page 713

Stationed:
He sailed back to the UK on the Royal Mail Steam Packet Elbe(a compound engine ship of around 3100 tons) arriving at Southampton on 27th September 1900.




School Attendance:
Description: Admission number 589

London Metropolitan Archives - Microfilm No. XO95 334 - frame 00369/370

Stationed:
Sapper

WO16/2980, Muster Roll

Enlisted on 22nd February 1892 - Trade on enlistment - Fitter.
The likelihood is that since leaving school he had been an apprentice at the Royal Arsenal.

The Muster Rolls for the previous year - 1891 show clearly that his Army Number, 26372 hadn't yet been issued.

Stationed:
Sapper

Noted as being at Fort Picklecombe. WO16/2980-2991-2992

Fort Picklecombe was a Palmerston Fort on the Western (Cornish) side of the entrance to Plymouth Sound. Fort Bovisand protected the Eastern side.

Stationed:
Sapper

WO16/2980/2991 Muster Roll

Stationed:
Sapper

WO16/3002 Muster Roll

Stationed:
Sapper

Noted as being on Guard Duty

Appointed:
Lance Corporal

Stationed:
Lance Corporal

WO16/3012 Muster Roll

Stationed:
Lance Corporal

WO16/3047 Muster Roll

Stationed:
Lance Corporal

WO16/3014 Muster Roll

Appointed:
2nd Corporal R.E

Appointed:
Corporal

Appointed:
Military Mechanist Staff Sergeant RE

Died:
Description: Typhlitis (9 days) & Peritonitis

His father James was present at the death.

Buried:
The ceremony was performed by a Presbyterian Mininster.
He was buried in unconsecrated ground - No. 9821
The Entry No. in the register was 2952

Thomas married Eva Annie WILLIAMS on 2 Mar 1897 in the Parish Church, Alverstoke. Eva (daughter of William George WILLIAMS and Amy Augusta NEWNHAM) was born on 18 May 1873 in Clayhall, Alverstoke; died on 8 Sep 1915 in 88, Clayhall Road, Clayhall.; was buried on 11 Sep 1915 in St. Mark's Church Cemetery, St Mark's Road, Alverstoke. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 16 Jun 1898, St. Mary's Church, Alverstoke
• Census: 1901, 59, Coburg St. North Shields, Northumberland
• Census: 1911, 88, Clayhall Road, Alverstoke
• Military: 9 Jul 1943, Whitehall Cinema, East Grinstead ; The East Grinstead Incident. 9th July 1943 At the time he was the Military Assistance Officer at Great House Court, Fairfield Road, East Grinstead. Captain W.G. Mills was at a cinema in East Grinstead watching a film. An air raid started and the cinema took a direct hit. He organised the orderly evacuation of the cinema and was mentioned in despatches. See:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sussex/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8829000/8829228.stm and:- http://spartacus-educational.com/2WWwhitehall.htm
• Cremated: 4 Feb 1971, Portsdown Crematorium

Notes:

According to Ron Mills, a relative, whom he thought may have been Jesse Mills, was prepared to pay the costs of sending William George Mills to Winchester College. George's mother Eva Annie insisted that he go straight into the Army instead.
He did so as a bugler.

Was this the reason behind a possible rift between the Mills and Williams families?.
It is clear that William George was prevented from knowing anything about his relatives apart from some very sketchy details.



Birth:
The copy of his birth certificate is dated 18th October 1901 and stamped
"Royal Commission Patriotic Fund". This is just five months after the death of Thomas William.
The assumption is that Eva Annie may have had a grant to pay for the burial of her husband.
Ron & I visited the offices of the Patriotic Fund in London during May 2003. They don't have any records of grants to individuals.

Baptism:
Page 312 No. 2490

Cremated:
Cremation Reference 34261

His ashes were scattered :-
North Border 13/14 posts, South of Chestnut

Died:
Description: Cerebral Thrombosis Ateriosclerosis Disseminated Sclerosis (MS)

Family/Spouse: Eileen Grace FRANCIS. Eileen (daughter of William John FRANCIS and Alice Maud Mary SAIT) was born on 10 Jan 1900 in 70, North Street, Gosport, Hants.; died on 28 Oct 1988 in Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Gosport. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Telephonist/Receptionist
• Cremated: Oct 1988, Portsdown Crematorium

Notes:

Suffered with terrible leg ulcers throughout later life.
After she retired she toured Europe on package tours with Bill Francis and her friends, Doddy and Topsy.

Birth:
Description: She did not marry and lived with her parents until her death.

Cremated:
FreeFormatDate:Cremation Reference 99986

Her ashes were scattered :-

North Border 13/14 posts, South of Chestnut

Died:
Description: a Cerebro Vascular Accident

Other Events and Attributes:

• Cremated: 24 Jan 2007 ; Portchester Crematorium. The Service was conducted by Lance Blake, a Franciscan Friar from The Rowans Hospice. Celia read the following poem:- The words of this poem reflect how the family believes Daddy would be thinking now Death is nothing at all I have only slipped away into the next room I am I and you are you Whatever we were to each other That we are still Call me by my old familiar name Speak to me in the easy way you always used Put no difference into your tone Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow Laugh as we always laughed At the little jokes we always enjoyed together Play, smile, think of me, and talk to me Let my name be ever the household word that it always was Let it be spoken without effort Without the ghost of a shadow in it Life means all that it ever meant It is the same as it ever was There is absolute unbroken continuity What is death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind Because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you for an interval Somewhere very near Just around the corner All is well. Nothing is past; nothing is lost One brief moment and all will be as it was before How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again! by Canon Henry Scott Holland. Lance concluded with this:- Death is only an old door Set in a garden wall. On gentle hinges it gives at dusk, When the thrushes call. Along the lintel's green leaves beyond, The light lies still. Very willing and weary feet Go over that sill. There is nothing to trouble any heart, Nothing to hurt at all Death is only a quiet door In an old wall. Author Unknown

Notes:

Dec 1995 - Heart attack.
May 1996 - Incident 1
Jun 1996 - Ventricular aneurysm resected combined with bypass surgery.
May 1998 - Incident 2
Mar 2001 - Incident 3
Oct 2001 - Near Miss

17th Jun 2006 - Admitted with "community acquired pneumonia"
23rd Jun 2006 Discharged.
12th August 2006 - Readmitted with double pneumonia.
Whilst in hospital acquired C difficile infection.

* Incidents - Ambulance to A&E - Extreme shortness of breath and lungs filling with fluid inducing anxiety and panic.

Christened:
St. Matthews Church, Gosport

Cremated:
It was his wish that his ashes be scattered on the grave of his Grandmother Eva Annie in St.Mark's Church Cemetery, Alverstoke.

Died:
Cause of Death:-
Severe cardiac failure
Ischaemic heart disease

Ronald married Joyce Olive BILLSON on 24 Aug 1946 in the Parish Church, Rugby. Joyce (daughter of Leonard Sidney Henry BILLSON and Adelaide Victoria May WILSON) was born on 18 Nov 1924 in 227, Clifton Road, Rugby; died on 6 Aug 2018 in Gracewell Nursing Home, Fareham. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Address: Address:
  13, Spring Garden Lane, Gosport, Hants.
• Baptism: 28 Nov 1926, St. Matthews Church, Gosport
• Occupation: From 12 Nov 1951 to 28 Jul 1958, Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment at Portsdown; as scientific assistant
• Occupation: From 28 Jul 1958 to 15 Dec 1961, HMS Excellent, Experimental Department, Portsmouth; Scientific Assistant
• Stationed: Between 29 Sep 1958 and 15 Dec 1961, HMS Girdle Ness, Malta
• Occupation: 1 Jul 1961, HMS Excellent, Experimental Department, Malta; promoted to Senior Scientific Assistant
• Occupation: 1 Jan 1962, Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment at Portsdown; Senior Scientific Assistant
• Occupation: From 1 Jul 1966 to, Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment at Portsdown; Experimental Officer
• Occupation: From 1 Jan 1970 to, Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment at Portsdown; Senior Experimental Officer
• Occupation: From 1 Jan 1971 to, Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment at Portsdown; Senior Scientific Officer
• Retired: 5 Oct 1986
• Funeral: 9 Jun 2003, Portsdown Crematorium

Notes:

GORDON RAYMOND MILLS

Gordon Raymond Mills was a unique character, born the youngest of three, in Gosport on the October 5th 1926. He spent his childhood in various places around the world due to the fact that his father, William George was in the Royal Engineers.

In his younger days, Gordon was a keen and enthusiastic sportsman, involved in many sporting teams, notably football, hockey, swimming and tennis, both at school and college. He had great pride in showing the scar from an operation to pin his broken leg; the result of a footballing injury obtained when he was 12, which he maintained to his last days, was NOT an accident!

One thing he will always be remembered for was his love of taking things apart to see how they worked or, more importantly, how he could improve them! He was never very good at putting things back together however, hence lots of bits and pieces lying around which may come in handy for something else!

Gordon began his working life as an electronics engineer with the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment. He worked his way up through the years and perhaps one of his happiest times, when on board HMS Girdleness, was his involvement in the development of new surface to air guided missile systems. He was very proud of his work, but never really talked about it in detail. We think he took his oath of secrecy very seriously!

He continued to work at A.S.W.E. until his early retirement having achieved the dizzy heights of Senior Scientific Officer, a position of which he and his family were justifiably proud.

Gordon was a loving and devoted son who cared for his parents and elder sister Eileen in their final years. He liked to keep himself to himself but always maintained a loving relationship with his older brother Ron and Sister in law, Joyce. As in all sibling relationships, the elder brother offered the younger much advice, most of which was duly ignored or forgotten!

Gordon was a generous and loving uncle to his nephews, Brian and Corin, and niece, Celia, and was always on hand to help out when financial crises occurred. This continued with his great nephews, Matthew and James and nieces, Emma, Elena and Zoe all of whom have experienced the kindness and generosity of the man.

It came as shock to Gordon to have become ill, as he had always enjoyed good health. His last eight weeks spent in hospital was a considerable trial for him, but he managed to maintain a dignified and grateful demeanour with the hospital staff whose care was very much appreciated.

Over the last few weeks, Gordon was pleased and comforted to know that he had the love and support of his family in his hour of need. He will be missed by all of them.

Rest in peace, Gordon; no doubt you will be sitting in your comfy reclining chair and watching a state of the art wide screen TV! Say "Hello" to your Dad, Mum and Eileen for us. We love you.

Celia Walker - 9th June 2003 - read at Gordon's funeral.

Occupation:
The Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment originated in an Experimental Department set up in 1917 at HM Signal School, Portsmouth, to coordinate research work undertaken since 1896 on the Torpedo School ships HMS Defiance and HMS Vernon. In 1941 the Experimental Department became the Admiralty Signal Establishment which, like its predecessors, was largely concerned with communications. However, technological advances during the Second World War necessitated an increase in related fields of research, and in 1948 these were brought under one body, the Admiralty Signal and Radar Establishment at Portsmouth. In 1959 it was decided that missile technology justified an extension of its scope, and on being amalgamated with the Admiralty Gunnery Establishment (AGE) it received the title of Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE). It is responsible for various aspects of research, development, design and trial of equipment, devices and techniques in the fields of communications, radar missile control, and electronic counter-measures and in related fields.
In 1971 the Admiralty Compass Observatory was absorbed into ASWE as its Navigation Division, and in 1984 the Establishment was amalgamated with Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment (AUWE) and Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment (AMTE) to form the Admiralty Research Establishment (ARE).

(National Archives ADM 220)

Occupation:
Posted to HMS Experimental Department, Malta, on 30th June 1959 aboard HMS Girdle Ness.

Stationed:
Description: Britain's first guided missile test ship for Sea Slug

Seaslug missile tests - Malta
WH876, in U.14 configuration, was used as a pilotless drone target by 728B Squadron. This was a Royal Navy squadron, at Hal Far, Malta, who flew these target drone Canberras on guided missile trials [Seacat and Seaslug]. WH876 was numbered "595" whilst with the RN. The Canberras, six of them, were painted all-over white with wide black bands around the outer part of the wings. The navy only managed to shoot down one of the six - WH921 ("590") - brought down by a missile fired by HMS Girdle Ness on 6 October 1961. Having survived the Navy(!), WH876 returned to the UK in December 1961 where it was put into store at Pershore. The cockpit section is kept at Boscombe Down.

Occupation:
Staff Number 117752H

Retired:
Description: having been employed in the Civil Service for 34 years and 11 months

Died:
Description: Heart failure

Other Events and Attributes:

• Address: Address:
  36, Almshill Road, Eccleshall, Sheffield
• Address: Address:
  74, Alwyn Road, Old Bilton, Rugby, Warwickshire
• School Attendance: 1957, St. Marks Junior School, Old Bilton, Rugby, Warks.
• School Attendance: 1961, Lawrence Sheriff Grammar School, Rugby
• Employment: Oct 1967, Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) Rugby; Technician apprentice - 8 months. Resigned when I discovered AEI weren't employing their apprentices after qualification.
• Employment: Aug 1968, Bishop Wulstan RC High School, Rugby; Student Teacher to gain A level to enter College of Education.
• College: 1969, Sheffield City College of Education
• Address: 1972, 516, Bloxwich Road, Leamore, Walsall
• Address: 1975, 56, Redlock Field, Lichfield, Staffs
• Occupation: 1972 - 1981, Chasetown Comprehensive School, Staffs.; Handicraft Teacher. Studied for and gained an Open University B.A Degree whilst teaching.
• Business Startup: From Oct 1981 to 2001, Unit 7a & 8, Eagle Industrial Estate, Church Green, Witney, Oxon
• Retired: 22 May 2015

Notes:

Christened:
Apparently Ron & Joyce had their childrens names carved into the beams of the church.

Birth:
Jun Q 1950 9c 1462 Rugby

College:
Handicraft (Distinction) & P.E

Business Startup:
Tradewind. Domestic & Commercial Glazing Systems.

Corin married Lynne RUSHTON on 5 Aug 1972 in Coventry Registry Office. Lynne (daughter of John RUSHTON and Elsie WARD) was born on 11 Mar 1950. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Maternity nursing home for British women in Calcutta

Celia married Paul BROWNE in Aug 1973. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Celia married John S WALKER on 8 Apr 1988. John (son of John Stanley WALKER and Molly PEDWELL) was born on 27 Nov 1949. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Brian married June Ann QUARTERMAN on 31 Dec 2003 in Poole Registry Office. June (daughter of Leonard Owen QUARTERMAN and Lilian Marjorie GARTON) was born on 6 Jun 1948. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]