Category Archives: Other Regiments

Francis Alfred Mills

Army, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave, Royal Berkshire Regiment, St. Laurence's Church

Francis Alfred Mills
Corporal 43319
3rd Battalion Manchester Regiment, formerly 9th Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 46

Mills F photo  CIMG2203

Francis Alfred Mills, was the son of Mrs Lucy Mills, of 26, Derby Street, Reading. The 1911 census indicates that he worked as a stage carpenter. At the time he was living with his widowed mother who was a nurse, his sister and two nephews. He married Katie Lovell on 19 June 1916 and they had a daughter Gladys Blanche Olive in November 1916. Originally assigned to the Royal Berkshire Regiment he was transferred to the Manchesters in September 1916. He was promoted twice during his service. His war records are quite extensive and indicate that due to his transfer to another unit his where abouts were not traceable for some time. Records also indicate that he died from a malignant tumour although this was not reported in the newspapers of the time.

His is a registered war grave and has a CWGC war pattern headstone, number 11429.

Corporal Mills died on 8th April 1918, he was aged 38.   He was buried with full military honours

Corporal F. A. Mills had been in the army for two years.  Eighteen months of service were spent in France. Papers reported that he had been wounded and that he was sent home with trench fever to which he succumbed in a hospital in Wales.  He leaves a mother and widow and child of 16 months.  Before joining up he was employed at the County Theatre where he was better known as Tom Viscent.

J.J. McKeever

Army, Graves, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave

Private J.J. McKeever,
T4/1244223, 4th Division Supply Unit,
Army Service Corps.

Division 14

 CIMG2158

J. J. McKeever was 50 years old and died on the 8th August 1915.  He was  the son of John and Jane McKeever.  Born at Waterside, Londonderry.

McKeever died in a tragic boating accident whilst based near Reading.  He and Driver J. Starkie were in a Canadian canoe on the Thames at Tilehurst when the canoe capsized and both soldiers were drowned.  Neither man could swim.  The Coroners verdict was that of “Accidental Drowning”.

During the war years there were many such accidents on the Thames, sometimes of army personelle and sometimes civilians and children.  Many drownings were accidental, some were deliberate acts of suicide.

Mrs Starkie attended the funeral and also Thomas Logue, the brother in law of McKeeveer.  A volley was fired and the “Last Post played”.  The grave of Private McKeever is marked by a CWGC war pattern headstone.  Driver Starkie  is also buried in the cemetery in Division 49.

Stanley Martin

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Loos, Other Regiments, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

Stanley Martin M.M.
Sergeant 200620
1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment  and

2nd Lieutenant
2nd London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers

Sergt Martin, Stanley photo MARTIN S2 AS

Stanley Martin was the son of Charles Alfred and Maria Martin who lived at 22, Hatherley Road Reading. The home address in 1901 was the same as the caption on the photograph. Charles Martin’s occupation was a cooper, by 1911he was a foreman cooper at the Huntley and Palmers Biscuit Factory. Stanley was the youngest of four children, he had two older sisters and an older brother. In 1911 he was still in school.

He enlisted in 1914 in the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment aged 17½ and reached the rank of acting C.S.M. when he was recommended for a commission being promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Fusiliers.  He was still with the  1st/4th’s when he received the Military Medal for “conspicuous good work in an attack on April 5th 1917.

Details of the action were published in the Standard May 12 1917 in relation a Lance Corporal Herbert Degrucy of 29 Grosbrook Road, Caversham who, like Sergenant Stanley Martin  was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous good work.  ‘During the attack on the villages of Ronssoy, Basse and Lempire, after the village was entered the company had to push on to link up with another battalion 1,000 yards through the village, and during the flight that ensued this N.C.O. showed great ability, being a great help to the C.O.  he set a fine example and displayed great bravery and devotion to duty.  Sergeant Stanley Martin, was awarded the Military Medal in connection with the engagement detailed above.

He was killed in action on September 18 1918 aged 24 years and buried at Ephey Wood Farm Cemetery, the Somme.  The village of Epehy was captured at the beginning of April 1917.  It was lost at the beginning of the spring offensive on March 22nd 1918, after a gallant defense by members of the 21st Division.  British defenses were broken through on this day and the allies made a hasty retreat.  The Germans claimed the taking of 16,000 prisoners and 200 guns.

The village was retaken on 18 September 1918 in the Battle of Epehy, which started September 12 1918.  The cemetery takes its name from the Ferme du Bois and Plots I and II were made by the 12th Division after the capture of the village, and contains the graves of the men and officers who died during the battle 18th September 1918.