George Arthur Mills

A Private with the 11th Battalion, George died on 10th of July 1917 at the age of 28. 

George was born at Lowestoft on 7 April 1889, a son of James William and Alice Henrietta Mills. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft, on 2 June1889. In 1891 his family lived at 17 Jacobs Street. By 1901 they were living at Woods Loke, Oulton. Later his parents lived at 38 Princes Road before moving to Somerleyton.

On 27 May 1912 George married Ellen Sophia Curtis at Saint Philip’s Church, Cambridge. George was a shop assistant and they both lived at 142 Thoday Street, Cambridge, which was George’s home for the rest of his life.

George enlisted in the Army at Colchester. He joined the Essex Regiment, service number 32893, and was posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion. George was transferred to the Border Regiment, service number 28304, and posted to the 11th Battalion in France where he joined 13 Platoon D Company.  

On 8 July 1917 the 11th Battalion moved into positions near Neiuport. On 10 July C and D Companies were in the front line and, at 6 a.m., a heavy bombardment of their sector began. Contact between the headquarters and the various companies was lost and by 8.30 a.m. the shelling became heavier. The heavy bombardment continued, with little respite. By 4.05 the front line right sector had been completely wiped out and the second line badly smashed: at this point at least 40 men were known to be casualties. About this time the German troops began to advance on the British lines. At 6.50 p.m. C and D Companies were ordered to hold the front line at all costs. By 7.50 p.m. the Germans had gained a footing the second line and part of the third line. In the evening A Company and men of the Highland Light Infantry were ordered to make a counterattack and then they converged on the Grand Redan with orders to hold that position. The confused situation continued throughout the night, but the 11th Battalion were ordered to re-establish the line. By 3.50 a.m. on the 11 July the battalion has sustained over 350 casualties. 

George was reported missing on 10 July and later presumed to have been killed in action on that date.