Remembering Private Clayton R. Mills—KIA August 9, 1918

Clayton R. Mills was born at Port Hilford, Guysborough County, on January 15, 1888, the youngest of Anne Scott “Annie” (McKeen) and Robert Bruce Mills’ five children. Sometime before 1901, the family moved to Sherbrooke, where Robert worked at a local saw mill. In 1904, Robert, Annie and children relocated to a farm at The Forks (Glenelg), where the couple spent their remaining days.

Clayton R. Mills (pre-war portrait)

During the years prior to the First World War, Clayton travelled to Western Canada on the annual “harvest trains,” usually in the company of his older brother, Frank. Clayton eventually remained out west, made his way to Vancouver, BC, sometime after 1911, and found work as a carpenter.

Following the outbreak of war, British Columbia provided a large number of soldiers for overseas service. Clayton was among the volunteers, enlisting with the 121st Battalion (“Western Irish”) at New Westminster, BC, on January 9, 1916. He spent seven months training at Camp Vernon, BC, before following the unit across the country by train. On August 14, the 121st departed for overseas and arrived at Liverpool, England, after a 10-day passage.

Before year’s end, the 121st was designated a “reserve battalion” for the 29th Battalion (British Columbia). While Clayton was transferred to the 29th on November 28, 1916, he spent more than three months working with 2nd Entrenching Battalion before finally joining his new unit on March 5, 1917. Before year’s end, Clayton saw combat with the 29th at Vimy Ridge, France (April 9, 1917) and Passchendaele, Belgium (November 6, 1917).

Throughout the winter of 1917-18, Clayton served a regular rotation with the 29th in sectors near Arras, France. Tours in the line extended into early summer before the unit retired to Divisional Reserve in late June 1918. After a month’s rest and training, personnel returned to the line east of Amiens, France, in early August and prepared for its role in a major counter-offensive on the German line.

While the attack commenced at 4:30 a.m. August 8, the 29th did not participate in the first day’s fighting. The following morning, however, its soldiers prepared for battle, their objective being the village of Rosières. At precisely 10:00 a.m. August 9, Clayton and his comrades advanced toward the German line. The soldiers immediately encountered a fierce barrage of machine gun and artillery fire but determinedly made their way forward, securing their objective by mid-afternoon. Before day’s end, the 29th’s soldiers advanced six kilometres into German-held territory.

In total, Canadian units suffered more than 2,500 casualties during the fighting at Amiens. Following its August 9, 1918 advance, the 29th’s war diary reported 159 soldiers lost in the initial minutes of fighting. Private Clayton Mills was one of the early fatalities, “hit in the head and instantly killed by an enemy machine gun bullet” shortly after leaving the “jumping off” trenches. Clayton was laid to rest in Rosières Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France.

Clayton’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s "First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937," available for purchase online at bantrypublishing.ca .