681643 GNR. G. S. MILLSON. R.F.A.

 

George Samuel Millson was born in the last quarter of 1896 in Rotherham, West Yorkshire.  His father was George Millson (b. 1869 in Ashby, Lincolnshire), a carter working on the railways.  His mother was Ellen (maiden name not known).  George and Ellen were married in Rotherham in 1894 but Ellen had already been married – to Frederick William Rose (b. 1865 in Horncastle, Lincolnshire).  Fred and Ellen had two children (John Robert b. 1888 and Fred b. 1889), before Fred died in 1893 and Ellen remarried the following year.  She and George then had five children: Joseph (b. 1895), then George, then Albert (b. 1899), Harry (b. 1901), and Arthur (b. 1904).  By 1911, Ellen’s oldest two boys had left home and she and George were living with the five youngest boys at 212 Kimberworth Road, Rotherham.  George jnr had started to work as an errand boy for the Cooperative Society.

 

George was only 18 when War broke out and he enlisted the following year, 1915.  He was assigned service number 681643 and posted to “B” Battery of 286 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.  This was part of the divisional artillery for 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division.  57th Division landed in France in February 1917 and they were deployed in the first half of 1917 in the defence of Armentières.  On 2 May 1917 the War Diary reports that “a raiding party of the enemy, strength unknown, attempted to enter our trenches… but were at once caught in our barrage fire and withdrew”.  Four men from “B” Bty were killed that day, among them was George Millson.  CWGC records his age as 19 but I believe he had turned 20.

 

Rank:  Gunner

Service No:  681643

Date of Death:  02/05/1917

Age:  20

Regiment/Service:  Royal Field Artillery, “B” Bty, 286 Bde.

Cemetery/memorial reference: VIII. B. 1.

Cemetery/Memorial:  CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES

Additional Information:  Son of George and Ellen Millson, of 212 Kimberworth Road, Rotherham.

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