Nicholas Millican
Royal Navy
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
Nicholas Reay Millican was born in 1898 and baptised on 23rd March in the same year. His parents were Thomas and Ellen Millican. His father was a hewer in the coal mines and was born at Amble, Northumberland; his mother was born at Bebside in the same county.
In 1901 the family was living in the Parish of St Peter's, Cambois. Siblings in the house at this time included Andrew 11, John 9 and Grace, aged 6.
By 1911, Nicholas and his family have moved to 1, Old Institute, Cambois where he was working in the coal mines as a trapper boy underground at the age of 13. His father was still working in the coal mines as were all of his brothers. This census shows his mother had 8 children and that 3 of them died.
The military records confirm in 1915 his mother was notified of his death when living at Old Institute, Cambois. They also show he enlisted originally in the Durham Light Infantry on 1st September 1914 and was transferred to RNVR at Crystal Palace on 10th September 1914. He was with the Anson Battalion until his death. These records show he was born 28th March 1895 (this should be 1898) and he was awarded the 1914 Star, Victory and British War Medal.
Nicholas Reay Millican is remembered in Cambois on C6.02
