Name
John William Mills
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/09/1914
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Able Seaman
186948
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Cressy."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
2
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial
St Michael’s Church Memorial, East Wickham
Welling War Memorial, St John’s Church, Welling
Biography
William Mills was born on 19th August 1878 in School Lane, Welling, Kent. He was registered at birth as John William, but known as William. His parents were George, a General Labourer and Susan, and he was one of twelve children. The family continued to live in Welling where by 1911 they had set up a Florist shop in Danson Lane, which was still the family business in 2014. But by 1911 William had moved away and was living in Camden Town, where he was employed as a Fireman at the St Pancras Workhouse and Infirmary. William married Alice Clara Pollard on 9th September 1911. Alice was an Assistant Laundress at the Workhouse, and sometime between 1911 and 1914 the couple moved to 32 Adrian Road, Abbots Langley. It is highly likely that William transferred to work at the Leavesden Asylum, which was also under the auspices of the St Pancras Workhouse.
William was a member of the Royal Fleet Reserves, and would have been mobilised as soon as War was imminent. He was sent to HMS “Cressy” which was one of three cruisers sunk by U-boat U9 on the morning of 22 September 1914. HMS “Aboukir”, HMS “Hogue” and HMS “Cressy” were three old cruisers which patrolled the North Sea during the early days of the War. On the morning of 22nd September U9 sighted the cruisers slowly crossing its path. At 6.25 the submarine torpedoed HMS “Aboukir”, and then fired two torpedoes at HMS “Hogue”. Both ships sank and at 7.20 the U9 fired three torpedoes at HMS “Cressy”. The first missed, the second hit the “Cressy”, damaging the cruiser, but the third was the final blow and the ship sank within a quarter of an hour. Other ships in the patrol picked up 837 survivors, but 1459 men perished, of which many were reservists or cadets. William, aged 36, died in the sinking of the “Cressy” and his body was not recovered
The November 1914 edition of the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine reported that
“Since our last issue the news of the loss of John William Mills on HMS Cressy has been confirmed (also Harry Neary from Abbots Langley lost his life on HMS Cressy). We commend to God's mercy both them and their dear ones left behind.”
William Mills was remembered on the Abbots Langley War Memorial, at St Michael’s Church, East Wickham, the Welling War Memorial at St John’s Church, Danson Lane Weilling and the Chatham Naval Memorial.
Following William’s death, his wife Alice left 32 Adrian Road and moved back to 12 Gumley Gardens, St John’s Road, Isleworth, Middlesex to be near to her parents.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
