Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthJune 6, 1898
Place of BirthKenora, Ontario
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinMother, Mrs. Nellie Mills, P.O. Kenora, Ontario
Trade / CallingStudent
ReligionPresbyterian
Service Details
Regimental Number198727
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion2nd Canadian Works Infantry Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Date of EnlistmentJanuary 10, 1916
Age at Enlistment17
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathMarch 11, 1950
Age at Death51
Buried AtLakeside Cemetery, Port Huron, Michigan
PlotBlock Z, Lot 6, Grave 2

Mills, George William

George William Mills was born on 6 June 1898 in Rat Portage (Kenora), Ontario. His father, Peter Clarke Mills, had been born in Scotland and come to Canada in 1890. Peter joined the staff of G. Rioch in 1892 and worked in watch and jewelry repairs for the next 47 years. He married Ellen ‘Nellie’ Jane Mitchell in 1897. Other children born to the couple were Robert (1900), Nellie (1902), James (1907) and William (1909).

On 10 January 1916 George enlisted with the 94th battalion in Kenora.In May 1916 his unit left Kenora for Port Arthur and then sailed to England aboard the S.S. Olympic at the end of June. George was placed with the 17th Reserve Battalion upon his arrival in England. A series of transfers took him to the 30th Reserve Battalion in September 1916; to the 34th Battalion in November 1916; to the Manitoba Regimental Depot in April 1917 where he reported for signal base duty. A hammer toe on his left foot kept George from battle duty.  In August of 1917 George was sent to France with the 3rd Labour Battalion. Troops in this battalion were employed mainly in road and bridge construction, road maintenance and grading on light and standard gauge railways. George also served with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Works Battalion until April of 1919 when he was struck off strength to Canada. He received his official discharge due to demobilization on 26 April 1919 in Port Arthur.

A year later, George married Ruby Florence Anderson in Fort William. His occupation at the time was motor mechanic. Their son, Donald was born in 1924 and the family moved to Michigan in 1927. The 1930 US Census shows them living in Hazel Park, Royal Oak Township, Oakland, Michigan where George was working as an operator in a power plant. Daughter Elva was born in 1932 and daughter Mary in 1937. By 1940 the family had moved to Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan and George was employed as a switch board man.

Predeceased by his wife Ruby in 1947, George William Mills died on 11 March 1950 in Port Huron. He is buried there in Lakeside Cemetery.

George’s sister, Nellie, married returned WW1 vet John Mangan Thrasher. His two youngest brothers, James and William, served in WW2.

Mills-George-William-2 Mills-George-William-3 Mills-George-William-4 Mills-George-William-5

Gravemarker photo courtesy of Sam Lindsay, findagrave.com.


« Back To Soldier Biographies