In Hartlepool (Stranton) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:
A.D. Mills
Leading Airman R.N.
FX.703508
H.M.S. Landrail
20th June 1944 age 19
Not changed but glorified.
The son of Herbert Arthur and Jean Mills, of West Hartlepool.
Dennis Lendrem has submitted the following:-
After graduating from Brinkburn, Arthur Derrick Mills – son of Herbert Arthur Mills and Jean Mulvey of Sandringham Road born 1924, joined the LNER as a clerk. In his spare time he was a popular and accomplished ventriloquist.
He joined the Royal Navy Air Fleet Command and was very much in demand for entertainment concerts. After training at HMS Blackcap in Stretton he was posted to HMS Landrail on the west coast of Scotland. A wireless operator, he was one of three crew who died when their Barracuda plane crashed into the sea off the Isle of Arran on the 20th June 1944.
The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 23/06/1944 reports:-
MILLS, -On June 20th. a flying accident. L /A. A, Derrick Mills, R.N.A.S . dearly-beloved only son of Mrs J. Mills, and eldest grandchild of Mrs. and the late Robert E. Mulvey —Cortege leaves 4-5 Sandringham Road, Saturday pm. for service St. Luke’s Church.— lamented.
The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 21/06/1944 reports:-
AIRMAN KILLED . Mrs. Jean Mills, of 45 Sandringham Rd. West Hartlepool has been officially informed that her only son Arthur Derek Mills. Telegraphist air gunner in the R.N AS has been killed on active service. Aged 19. Derek was an old boy of the West Hartley Secondary School and former member of the L.N.E.R. office staff. His great hobby was ventriloquism. Before he joined up 18 months ago he was enthusiastic member of the Black and White Concert Party, which he played prominent part in entertaining the troops and raising money for charitable causes He had three days’ leave fortnight ago, and in that time appeared in two concerts.
There are two different spellings of his middle name – sometimes “Derek” and sometimes “Derrick”
Arthur Derrick Mills is remembered at Hartlepool on H115.16, at West Hartlepool on W111.002, W111.017 and W111.055, in the list of 1939-1945 Military and Civilian names beginning with K and L and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
