253315 Walter George Mills Royal Navy HMS Guillemot from:Plymouth My father, Walter Mills was on HMS Guillemot and she was the last ship to leave the Mole saving a French unit during the Dunkirk Evacuation.
He joined the navy as a boy sailor and was on some of the bigger warships before joining HMS Guillemot on the Russian convoys to Archangel from Harwich.
He wrote and had published an article entitled "One Man's Memories" of his time during the war.
He served with the author, Nicholas Montserrat, who despite being a pacifist, captained the Guillemot for part of his service.
My father always felt that the small ships were not recognised for the work they did, because the big warships got all the attention.
He was promoted to Chief Yeoman of Signals, a very proud moment in his career as a sailor.
He travelled very widely around the world following in his father's footsteps. He was one of 11 children, 9 of whom survived to old age. Unusual in that day. His parents celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary with 8 of their children around them. It would have been 9 but one was living abroad at the time.
|