Frederick “Fred” Albert Mills  Date of birth: 21/4/1896

Rank: Private    Service No: 12196  Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 1st Btn.

Date of death: 12/03/1915     Age :18

Panel Reference: 26 and 27 Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.

Son of Albert and Eliza Mills of 11 Fowler Street, Derby.

1911 census he was listed as Fred and a 14 year old errand boy working for a grocer.

He was one of eleven children, two of whom had died by 1911. His brother George was also enlisted and survived the war.

His father Albert Edward Mills was a labourer working for a coppersmith. He was from East Leake in Nottinghamshire. His mother, Eliza, was from Sawley, Derbyshire.

In 1901 he was listed as Fred and living at 11 Fowler Street. His father was a brewer’s watchman.

He transferred to St John’s C of E School. Mill Street, Derby from St John’s Infants. He left St John’s School 27 Jan 1906.

He first entered France 17 Dec 1914. He was killed in action 12 Mar 1915.

His name was engraved on the war memorial at Ashbourne Road Congregational Church, Derby, which was opposite the end of Fowler Street where he lived.

Fresh flowers were placed under the memorial every week by a church member related to one of the men listed on the memorials.

Every year a Remembrance Sunday service was held in their honour and The Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade paraded their colours. A member of their band sounded the Last Post and Reveille too

The memorial was destroyed when the church burnt down in 1993. A new church has been built further along the road. Flats have been built on the original site of the church. However, every Remembrance Sunday a sevrice is still held in the gardens of the flats where the WWII memorial, which survived the fire, is sited.

On the St John's Church memorial in Mill Street Derby, there is a F Mills listed. As he attended the school there it is likely this is in memory of him too.

"Their names liveth for ever."

Karen Haseldine