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Pte. Walter "Spud" Mills VC.
British Army 1/10 Battalion Manchester Regiment
from:Oldham
(d.11 December 1917)
On Monday 7th of September 1914 the Battalion received orders to move to Egypt (not France to the disappointment of many) via Southampton and on the Wednesday night left on two trains. The right half of the Battalion went first under the command of Lt Colonel Rye VD and the left half of the Battalion, under the command of Major Bamford followed in the second train. The battalion arrived in Southampton at about noon on Thursday the 10th September 1914 and straight away embarked on HMT Avon which left Southampton that night. Walter Mills was not a regular soldier but he was in the Territorials, the 1st/10th (Oldham) Battalion of the Manchester's and he volunteered to serve overseas.
He was born in June 1894 in Oldham and had married Ellen Britt in 1913. They had a daughter, also called Ellen, born in 1914. His battalion, part of the East Lancashire Brigade, had started training at Bury in August and went out to Egypt in September 1914, with the other Territorials.
His battalion first saw action in May 1915, in the Gallipoli landings. In December 1915 they were evacuated from Gallipoli. Three months later, in March 1916, and they were fighting in France. Almost 2 years later, in December 1917, at the age of 23, Walter would earn his Victoria Cross, at Givenchy.
His citation reads:
"A strong enemy patrol endeavoured to rush our posts after a gas attack which had caused the garrison to be overcome. In spite of being badly gassed himself, he met the attack single-handed, continuously throwing bombs until reinforcements arrived, remaining at his post until the enemy attack had been driven off. Whilst being carried away he died from gas poisoning. It was solely due to his exertions, when his only chance of personal safety lay in remaining motionless, that the enemy was defeated, and the line retained intact."
