Boer War death certificate

[Nick101]

Henry Mills or ( Charles Henry Mills) - died 2nd May 1900 Bloemfontein, He was in the Royal Field Artillery. Royal Horse Artillery 1 . Gunner. service no. 693431. I know my great grandfather died in the Boer war and this appears to be the likely candidate. How can I obtain a death certificate or any information that give me his place date of birth. I suspect he was born in 1867, Wymeswold, Leicestershire but again no actual proof . I am trying to tie him to a the marriage to Kathleen Townsend 1899, I have the wedding certificate which says his father was called Henry Mills as well.

 

[gortonboy]

this record states hes called Harry,,,and the number is slightly different,,,but think its the same man as the one in your post.


First name(s)
Harry

Last name
Mills

Service number(s)
69431

Rank
Gunner

Regiment
Royal Field Artillery

Notes
[Anglo-Boer War Memorials Project] & [The National Archives WO100. The QSA and KSA campaign medal rolls.] 13 Brigade Division Ammunition Column 6 Division [In Memoriam Roll of Honour Imperial Forces Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902. Steve Watt, University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg 2000] [South African Field Force. JB Hayward & Sons] Initial 'A'

Rolls
Roll: 152

Memorials
St James's Park north-east corner. Memorial. Royal Artillery. The Mall, LONDON, England
Municipal Square. Leicester, LEICESTERSHIRE, England

Units
Unit: 17 Royal Field Artillery Battery, Rank: Gunner, Number: 69431

Casualty units
Royal Field Artillery

Casualty details
Disease on 02 May 1900 at Bloemfontein (2) (Official casualty roll location: Bloemfontein)

 

[gortonboy]

I can confirm the above record is your great grandfather,,,his service record states he died of Enteric fever at Bloemfontein.

 

[gortonboy]

First name(s)
HARRY

Last name
MILLS

Birth year
1867

Birth parish
WYMESWOLD

Birth town
LOUGHBOROUGH

Birth county
Leicestershire

Birth country
ENGLAND

Service number
69431

Rank
-

Regiment
Royal Artillery

Document Type
Attestation

Attestation year
1888

Attestation Day
15

Attestation Month
11

Attestation age years
21

Attestation age months
-

Attestation Corps
Royal Artillery

Attestation service number
69431

Discharge Corps
Royal Artillery

 

[Nick101]

Thanks for your help , at least it I think it rules him out as he would have had his rank or army no. on his marriage certificate and his sons birth certificate. I assumed he was not in the army until after his marriage and sons birth. Your info tells me he joined in 1888.

I am looking for Henry Charles Mills ( or Harry)

1) Henry Charles Mills married Kathleen Townsend Jan 4th 1899, Long Buckby Nr Daventry Occupation Labourer his father named as Henry Mills as well info from a marriage certificate.

2) I have birth certificate for my grandfather Charles Henry Mills , the above Henry's son, but he was born according to his birth certificate
24th Feb 1897, before they were married. His father was named just as Charlie Mills and occupation as a groom, domestic.

But the Boer war connection comes in as we were always told via family that Henry Charles Mills died in the Boer war , and in fact Kathleen Townsend who married Henry Charles Mills married again in 1901 to a William Bertam Tully which sort of tied up with her first husband dying in the Boer war.
I am a bit stuck now! Any advice please

 

[Nick101]

I have found a H Miles service no. 59154 Driver Royal Artillery died I think 1900 ...can any one shed light on him

thanks
nick

 

[DaveHam9]

Just sorting out the names in various records:

Marriages Mar Qtr 1899
Mills Henry Charles Daventry 3b 147
Townsend Kathleen Daventry 3b 147

Births Mar Qtr 1897
MILLS Charles Henry Basford 7b 200

Does the birth list the mother's name?

Marriages Sep Qtr 1901
MILLS Kathleen Daventry 3b 261
TULLY William Bertram Daventry 3b 261

How do we make the connection with a 1897 birth registered as MILLS with the 1899 marriage?

 

[DaveHam9]

Several possible deaths in 1900 in the index, if Charles ...:

Name: C Mills
Casualty Type: Died
Casualty Date: 11 Aug 1900
Casualty Place: Bloemfontein
Rank: Driver
Force: South Africa Field Force
Regiment: Royal Artillery
Battalion: Ammunition Columns
Number: 51623

 

[DaveHam9]

Is this one ruled in or out?

Name: Harry Mills
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Civil Parish: Weedon Beck
Ecclesiastical Parish: Weedon St Peters
Sub-District: Weedon
Registration District: Daventry
Residence County: Northamptonshire
Gender: Male
Age: 4
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Birthplace: Long Buckby, Northamptonshire
Record Type: Household

I think we should start from a known fact. The 1899 marriage may not be involved.

 

[Nick101]

Hi Dave,

Firstly many thanks for your help.

1) this C Mills is new and I need to check it out...thank you

Name: C Mills
Casualty Type: Died
Casualty Date: 11 Aug 1900
Casualty Place: Bloemfontein
Rank: Driver
Force: South Africa Field Force
Regiment: Royal Artillery
Battalion: Ammunition Columns
Number: 51623

 

[Nick101]

The tie in with e 1899 marriage is as follows, a quick summary

1) My great grandmother was Kathleen Townsend who married Henry Charles Mills January 4th 1899. I have a copy of the marriage certificate, the age stated gives Henry Charles Mills birth in 1867.

2) There son, Charles Henry or Harry Mills my grandfather was born I believe before the marriage in 1897, his birth certificate confirms the mother names as Kathleen Mills and the father as Charlie Mills ....I assume the same Henry Charles Mills as above who married Kathleen Townsend Jan 4th 1899. Could she have lied on the birth certificate about being married....

3) The 1901 census also shows Kathleen Mills as the head of the house with a son and no husband. It states of independent means. and "wid" in the marriage box.

4) The dates and census and village locations all tie in...except the birth before marriage. All Kathleen's other children tie in as well from known relatives, and the fact she re married a William Bertram Tully about 1901 is a fact know from living relatives. Again the census info matches up with this.

There is a compelling evidence that would suggest the marriage does tie in. The reason I started looking for a H C Mills 1867 - 1900 in the Boer records was based on living elderly relative telling me that he died in the Boer war. That why Kathleen Townsend who became a Mills remarried in 1901 to a William Bertram Tully. phew.......connecting the dots....I fear it might be a brickwall!

 

[DaveHam9]

I take it you know from family sources and not from that marriage that your great grandmother was Kathleen Townsend.

Does the 1897 birth certificate not give the mother's maiden name? Does it name who was the informant?

I would have expected the birth to be registered in the name Townsend being before the marriage.

Something still seems wrong.

Oral family history is not always right. I'm supposed to have an ancestor who was a minister in Paisley for 30 years with a plaque on the wall of the church. I've walked the streets of Paisley and found no record of that person.

Dave

 

[DaveHam9]

I have a copy of a birth certificate from England but much earlier than 1897. It lists the mother's maiden name and which of the parents was the informant.

It was also a birth before marriage so the registration was in the father's mother's name because the father was also born before his parents married.