Regimental number: 6720.  Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box:6219-18, Item: 186214, PDF: B6219-S)18. Date of Birth: 5/06/1894, N of K: Mrs. Robert Shaw of 29 Patteson Ave., Chatham, ON. A single bottle machine operator. Attestation: 24/09/14 at Valcartier, PQ., age 20 years, 5’ 6”. To 1^stBattalion, CEF.     

After the American Revolution the Mills Family were Westchester Loyalist from the State of New York and settled in Nova Scotia. David and his brother Nathaniel would leave the east coast and settled in Palmyra, Kent Co., ON.  

His mother Emma Jane (nee Shaw) was from Chatham and Wallaceburg, ON. Gilbert from Palmyra  was the father of Robert George. Robert was born in Marine City, Michigan, he was the brother Dora (Johnston), Harrison, Mildred and Olaf along with two stepbrothers. He was educated in Sombra Twsp. schools. His family finally moved to Wallaceburg and the Becher area. Prior to the war Robert was working at the Sydenham Glass Works as an apprentice on the bottle machine.

On 7 September, 1913 Roberts mother passed away and the popular young man was ripe for adventure.

Prior to his enlistment Robert had been training to be a ‘private detective’. He had a cousin David Mills living in Michigan and he may have had a job working for a railroad, that was interrupted by the war.

When war was declared he enlisted in Chatham with the 24^th Kent Regt. He departed on the 21^st of August for Valcartier, PQ. Since the 24^th Kents, as was the case of most of the 1^st Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) had to re-enlist for overseas duty thus his 24/09/1914 enlistment date. He sailed aboard the S.S. Laureutic 3/10/14 for England.

Private Robert Mills left Chatham for Valcartier August 22nd, 1914, crossing to England September 26th, 1914. November 4th he was admitted to hospital suffering from pleurisy, returning to Salisbury Plains February 1st, 1915, and proceeding to France immediately with the 1st Battalion. At Givenchy, June 15th, 1915, he received wounds in the shoulder, entered Cliveden Hospital, and upon recovery of the wounds underwent an operation from the effects of pleurisy. He was transferred to Bromley Convalescent Hospital in September  and then assisted in the C.A.M.C. at Bromley Hospital from January 1916 to December 10th, 1916, when he was admitted to Orphington Hospital ill with pneumonia. March 22nd, 1917, he was invalided to Canada, was admitted to Victoria Hospital, London, and transferred June 4th, 1917, to Queen Alexandra Sanitorium.

He saw action at the second Battle of Ypres which he came through unscathed, he was not so lucky at the Battle of Givenchy, wounded at Festubert la Bassee on the 15^th of June. CDP 28/08/15. The same paper went on to say that “Pte. R. Mills of Chatham reported also wounded along with Pte. Ash and Pte. Rabbitt.”  The name of Pte Mills was included in a list of names of Canadians then in Connaught Hospital at Clivedon, England.Pte Milss and James Rabbitt were also mentioned in the WN 1/07/1915 as being from that town.

As a result of his shell wound  Robert was taken to D.C.R.X (meaning unknown) at Clivedon, Taplow. He had been wounded by schrapnel to his shoulder 24/06/15. On the 25^thhe was transferred to St. Omer  to treat his pleurisy and then listed as a GSW to the shoulder. He was transferred to the Cdn. Convoesent Hospital at Bromley, England. Robert would finally be discharged 7/01/16.

This was not the end of Roberts medical problems as he was hospitalized 3/03/17 at the Orpington Military Hospital, Kent, England listed as “Seriously ill”. On the 22/03/17, still seriously ill it was proposed that he be sent back to Canada for treatment. Robert was reported arrived at the port of Halifax 31/03/17 He was T.O.S at the Military Hospital Convolesent Centre, Victoria Hospital Sanitorium at Byron, ON.  

It was determined that he was suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis 17/07/1918.

Private Robert Mills received his discharge from military service August 2nd, 1918, entitled to wear one gold stripe, with continued treatment in Queen Alexandra Sanitorium, London.

 

Robert George Mills passed away 28/06/1920, internment at Greenwood Cemetery, Ridgetown, ON. Cause of death as a result of war wounds and illness.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Cenotaph	Steinhoff Memorial War Cenotaph - Wallaceburg
Sources	Chatham Daily Planet (28-06-1915), Wallaceburg News (01-07-1915), Trinity Methodist Church - Roll of Honour - Wallaceburg, No Return Ticket - Wallaceburg War Casualties - Alan Mann 2002, Wallaceburg News (02-11-1916), Joanne Mills email 20/04/15, LAC-Military file, CVWM

Height	5'7 1/2"
Eye Colour	Brown
Age	20
Complexion	Fair
Hair	Brown
Race	White
Birthplace	Marine City, Michigan
Religion	Methodist
Last Place of Employment	Dominion Glass Company, Wallaceburg
Marital Status	Single
When Enlisted	August 11th, 1914
Where Enlisted	Chatham, Ontario
Next of Kin	Grandmother- Mrs. Isabel Shaw, Marine City. Father- Gilbert Mills. Sister- Dora Mills, Mildred Mills. Brother- Harrison Mills, Olof Mills.

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