MILLS, Ernest Henry Whitford
| Service Number: | NX112343 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 May 1915, 2 years 18th Inf, 2 yrs AGA |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | 14th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia, 10 January 1896 |
| Home Town: | Willoughby, Willoughby, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Accountant |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 15 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Battalion, 2 years 18th Inf, 2 yrs AGA | |
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| 8 Mar 1916: | Involvement 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 8 Mar 1916: | Embarked 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of England, Sydney | |
| 4 May 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Imperial Camel Corps | |
| 29 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Imperial Camel Corps | |
| 9 Jan 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Imperial Camel Corps , GSW to right cheek | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Honoured Military Cross, 15-19th October 1916(?) Lead a squadron of the ICC fighting the Turkish allies the Sennusi Arabs in the Egyptian Western Desert at the Dahkla Oasis ~800 km from Cairo or 600 km up the Nile River to Luxor and then 200 kilometres due west into the desert. Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169 Date: 4 October 1917 | |
| 11 Oct 1917: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, 11 October 1917 on page 2664 at position 87 | |
| 12 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Imperial Camel Corps , Temp Capt from 15/12/1917 Bomb wound to shoulder - awarded MC+Bar for action, Musallebeh, Palastine | |
| 29 May 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, Imperial Camel Corps | |
| 7 Jul 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 14th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 4 Feb 1919: | Honoured Military Cross and bar, 9th of April 1918, Musallebeh, Jordan. 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during a hostile attack. After a heavy bombardment, the enemy attacked in strength, and advanced to within bombing distance of the position. Though twice wounded he moved from post to post, encouraging his men and supervising the defence. During part of the time all communication was broken, and it was largely due to his initiative and courage that the position was maintained.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 15 Date: 4 February 1919 | |
| 5 Jul 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 14th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 21 Oct 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Major, 14th Light Horse Regiment |
World War 2 Service
| 8 Sep 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Major, NX112343 |
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Help us honour Ernest Henry Whitford Mills's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Don Mills (grandson)
My grandfather Major Harry Mills was transferred from the Australian Light Horse to the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC) in 1916 the ICC had a strength of approximately 3,000 mounted troops and comprised British, Australian, New Zealand and Indian troops under the command of British General Clement Smith VC.
Harry was awarded his first Military Cross as a lieutenant leading a squadron of the ICC fighting the Turkish allies the Sennusi Arabs in the Egyptian Western Desert at the Dahkla Oasis approximately 800 kilometres from Cairo or 600 kilometres up the Nile River to Luxor and then 200 kilometres due west into the desert.
Harry won his second Military Cross in May 1918 at the age of 22 as a Captain commanding the 2nd company of the ICC at Musallebeh over looking the Jordan Valley a position of critical strategic importance and to be held at all costs. Harry's company came under sustained artillery fire and a sustained attack by Turkish and German troops despite 24 men in the company being wounded or killed including one officer being killed and all other officers being wounded including Harry they held the position. The battle is infamous for the Harry's company when running low on hand grenades ("Mills Bombs") started mixing in throwing stones to confuse the enemy attackers. General Chauvel commander of ANZAC Mounted Division official renamed Musallebeh "The Camels Hump" in honour of the ICC. Harry received personal written congratulations from both General Harry Chauvel and General Smith.
Harry was also mentioned in despatches on 18th March 1917 by General AJ Murray commander of the British Egypt Expeditionary Force.
Harry was hospitalised twice for wounds to his shoulder and head and on both occasions returned to the front line. Harry ended the war as a Major at the age of 22 in the Australian 14th Light Horse Regiment after the disbandment of the ICC in May 1918.
During the WW2 Harry in 1939 was called up from a reserve officer to command a remount unit (horses for the army) and then served from 1942 to 1944 in New Guinea as a Major commanding a pack transport company, in 1944 Harry was 48 years old
Harry rarely if ever spoke of his war experience, never participated in ANZAC day parades and despite being asked on a number of occasions to contribute to books on the ICC refused to do so
Harry met Lawrence of Arabia on a number of occasions.
During WW1 only 170 Australians were awarded the MC twice including Harry.
When Harry finally retired he initially refused to apply for a government pension as he thought it was "bludging".
Harry became very wealthy during the 1920's but lost everything during the great depression of the 1930's Harry took his wife and two young children including my father to the Atherton Tablelands inland from Cairns to have a go at farming tobbaco, it turned out to be a financial disaster and the family lived in shack built by hand by Harry with a corrugated iron roof, hension walls and a dirt floor - according to my father Harry and his mother never complained - Harrys favourite poem was "If" by Rudjard Kippling and a believer in one verse -
"If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;"
That was Harry to a "Tee"!
AWM short Biography
History / Summary
Biographical note: Colonel Arthur James Mills, DSO, VD, commanded 4 Anzac Camel Battalion, 1917-18 and 15 Light Horse Regiment 1918-1919. Dentist of Parramatta, New South Wales; born Glebe Point, NSW, 10 July 1884; joined the AIF on 1 March 1915 as a Major and was posted to the 1st Light Horse Regiment; 2 November 1916 - transferred to the Camel Corps; 7 February 1917 - appointed 2nd in Command of the 1st Camel Battalion; 14 December 1917, transferred to 4 Camel Battalion; 29 December 1917 - promoted Lieutenant Colonel; 1 July 1918 - on disbandment of Camel Corps, was made C.O. of the newly formed 15th Light Horse Regiment; 19 January 1920 - AIF appointment terminated.
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