John Mills (Conservative politician)

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Colonel Sir John Digby Mills (29 September 1879 – 2 July 1972) was a British Conservative Party politician and British Army officer. He served as Member of Parliament for New Forest and Christchurch from 1932 to 1945.

Early life and education[]

Mills was born on 29 September 1879 to The Revd Cecil Mills and Anne Henrietta Frances Mills, née Nicolls.[1][2] He was christened on 2 November 1879.[3] He was educated at Charterhouse, then an all-boys public school in Surrey.[2] He studied at Oriel College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.[2]

Career[]

Military service[]

In 1901, Mills was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Warwickshire Yeomanry of the Imperial Yeomanry, British Army.[2][4] He saw active service in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France.[2] He left the British Army in 1920, with the rank of major.[2]

On 2 September 1939, Mills became a lieutenant in the National Defence Companies.[5] In 1940, he was a group organiser for the Local Defence Volunteers.[2] From 1941 to 1943, he was commander of the New Forest Group of the Home Guard, and held the rank of colonel.[2] From 1943 to 1945, he served as second in command of the Hampshire Zone.[2]

Political career[]

Mills was elected as the Member of Parliament for New Forest and Christchurch between 1932 and 1945.[6] From 1943 to 1945, he was the Second Church Estates Commissioner, the link between the Church of England and the House of Commons.[2]

Church career[]

Mills was a Member of House of Laity between 1944 and 1960, and a Church Commissioner between 1948 and 1958.[7]

Personal life[]

In 1918, Mills married Carola Tuck. Together they had three sons.[2]

He was knighted in 1958.

References[]

  1. ^ Marquis Ruvigny, Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal, being a complete table of all the descendants now living of Edward III, King of England: Essex Volume (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1907), page 54. Hereinafter cited as Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal: Essex.. Cited by: "John Digby Mills", thepeerage.com, retrieved 25 December 2013
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "MILLS, Col Sir John (Digby)". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 3 March 2017. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ^ "John Digby Mills", England, "Warwickshire Parish Registers, 1538-1900," index, FamilySearch, accessed 25 Dec 2013.
  4. ^ "The Services". Leamington Spa Courier. British Newspaper Archive. 29 November 1901. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  5. ^ "No. 34669". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 September 1939. p. 6065.
  6. ^ "Major John Mills", Hansard 1803–2005 → People (M), retrieved 25 December 2013
  7. ^ Who was who, Volume 7, Publ. A. & C. Black, 1971, page 545. (ref)

External links[]

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