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| Casualty No.: |
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Ranks: |
Fusilier |
Initials: |
W |
Service No.: |
6210447 |
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| Date of Birth : |
- |
Place of Birth : |
12 Fell View, Crawcrook, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. |
Age at Death: |
21 |
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| Unit: |
9th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. |
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| Place Enlisted: |
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| Place of Residence: |
Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. |
| Home Address: |
9 Heathfield Gardens, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. |
| Previous Address: |
Woodside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. |
| Civilian Employment: |
Miner at Greenside Colliery. |
| How Died: |
Died of wounds |
| Date of Death: |
Saturday 25th May 1940 |
| Place of Death: |
Dunkirk, France. |
| Battle/Campaign: |
Dunkirk evacuation. |
| Locally Commemorated: |
Ryton War Memorial, Station Bank, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Greenside War Memorial, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
St John's Church, Roll of Honour, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
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| UK Commemorated: |
- |
| Overseas Commemorated: |
- |
| Buried: |
Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France. |
| Decoration and Medals: |
1939-45 Star. War Medal. |
| Photographs: |
2 |
| Service Records: |
No |
| Death Notice/Obituary: |
Blaydon Courier, 4th February 1941 and 7th October 1941.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 13th July 1940. 7th October 1941. Roll of Honour, 10th October 1941.
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| Family Details: |
Son of James William and Elizabeth Mills, of 9 Heathfield Gardens, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co.Durham. |
| Notes : |
William's father was also a miner, working at Greenside Colliery; he died in 1937. He was a veteran of World War 1 and had been badly wounded.
William was educated at Greenside Council School. His favourite hobby was cycling, often spending his time riding the roads and lanes of the local countryside.
The family were also connected with the Parish Church of Greenside.
Mrs Mills was to receive official news that her son had died of wounds, sixteen months after his death, but in the waiting period she received a letter from her son's comrade, George Purvis, from Mindrum.
He stated that he was also hit with the blast of the explosion that injured William and Fusilier Grieve. The three lay together for a time before his comrades succumbed to their wounds. George goes onto say the action took place at Shintlet, with German tanks only twenty yards away when the bomb was thrown.
After the war another of William's Army comrade's who lived at Berwick, visited his mother to explain the circumstances surrounding his death.
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| Sources Used: |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register.
Army Roll of Honour, 1939-45.
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