JAMES COOPER MILL
Regimental No. 35291
8 January 1896 – 29 August 1918
James Cooper MILL was born on 8 January 1896 at 7 Rosebank Road, Dundee, Scotland, son of George and Mary Jane (nee COOPER) Mill. George and Mary Jane had married 16 years earlier on 31st December 1880 in Dundee. On James’ birth certificate George’s occupation was “Cloth Lapper”, but he was later described as a “Calenderer”. Both these occupations are listed on the Hall Genealogy Website: Old Occupation Names (http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/). The Cloth Lapper cleaned cotton fibres before they were fed into the machines and the Calenderer smoothed cloth before it was fed between rollers. The jute industry dominated Dundee throughout the latter half of the 19th century and at the height of the industry's success, Dundee supported 62 jute mills, employing some 50,000 workers. Obviously George was one of those employed in the mills.
James had two older sisters, Catherine/Kate Cooper, born October 1881 and Helen/Ellen/Nellie born 1885. James’s mother died soon after he was born. When the 1901 Census was taken James was living as a boarder at number 9 Rosebank Road, next door to his widowed father and sisters. George was a still a widower at the time of the Census but remarried on 28 June the same year to Margaret MENMUIR (nee LINDSAY), a 43 year old widow.
On the 12th July 1907 James’ sister Helen (Nellie) married James Morris, a house painter, at 13 Ellen Street, “according to the form of the United Free Church of Scotland”. 13 Ellen Street was the usual residence noted for both of them, and was only a few streets away from Rosebank Road. Ellen was a jute worker, presumably at one of the many mills in the area.
Four years later, on 11th September 1911 Helen and James and their two small sons, James (3) and George Mill (1) sailed on the “Turakina” from London to Wellington. James Morris was described as a warehouseman.
The following year James Cooper Mill followed them, on his own, aged 16, on the “Westmeath”, departing on 26th November 1912 from Liverpool for Wellington. He was described as a millworker.
James went to live with his sister and brother-in-law and their family, first at 118 Ohiro Road, and later at 33 Reuben Avenue, Brooklyn, and found work as a clicker at R. Hannah & Co. (a boot and shoe manufacturer) in Leeds Street in Wellington. A clicker cuts out the leather for making the uppers of the boots and shoes. Before automation, each piece of leather used in the upper was cut out by hand, using a shaped knife. The knife was tapped with a hammer to force it through the leather, thus producing a clicking sound, giving rise to the name.
Helen and James Morris had three more children in Wellington - Amelia Thomson Proctor in 1913, Richard Lindsay Hunter in 1914, and Isabella Hill Sim in 1916. George and James went to Brooklyn School, but sadly James died in 1916 aged seven. Isabella also died at the age of seven in 1924, when the family were living in Christchurch. She and her sister Amelia attended the Sumner School for Deaf, and the family moved to Christchurch, presumably to support the two girls, sometime after 1921.
In preparation for active service James Cooper Mill was medically examined at Wellington on 25 February 1916, by which time he was 20 years old. His height was recorded as 5 feet 6 inches, weight 140 pounds, he had medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His religious profession was Presbyterian. His sight, hearing and colour vision were normal, his limbs and chest were well formed, his heart and lungs normal and the condition of his teeth was good. He was declared to be in good bodily and mental health and fit to serve.
Six months later James enlisted, signing his attestation papers on 30 August 1916 at Featherston where he was assigned the regimental number 35291 in 19th Company of the Field Artillery as a Gunner. At Featherston he received two inoculations on 20 and 29 September 1916.
On 16 February 1917 James embarked on HMNZT No.76 “Aparima” as one of the men in the 22nd Reinforcement. He was vaccinated again during the journey to England, and disembarked at Devonport on 2nd May 1917 from where he went to Sling Camp in Wiltshire for training. Only six weeks later he was on his way again, this time to France on 20th June. For the next nine months James remained in the field, serving most of the time as a Gunner with various batteries of the Field Artillery. He also spent a couple of months in the Divisional Ammunition Column, ensuring the guns were kept supplied with shells and everything else needed to continue pounding enemy positions. On 1 March 1918 he was given leave in the UK, re-joining his Unit in France on 19th March. One wonders whether he managed to see his father, sister and step-mother Margaret in Dundee during his leave.
Not long after returning to the front, James was wounded in the right ear, but not seriously as he only spent the day of the 12th April in No.1 New Zealand Field Ambulance before being discharged and returned to the Unit.
James continued as a Gunner for another four months until on 29 August 1918 he was wounded in action and admitted to the Advanced Dressing Station of No.3 NZ Field Ambulance. James died of his wounds there the same day, this date being verified on 7 September 1918. The date and the location of James’s burial confirms he was participating in the Second Battle of Bapaume, a British and Commonwealth attack that was the turning point of the First World War on the Western Front and the beginning of the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive. This battle was fought from 21 August to 3 September 1918. 29 August was the day the New Zealand Division, after heavy fighting, occupied Bapaume.
James was buried in the Achiet-Le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, grave IV.T.6. The cemetery is just outside the village of Achiet, which is about 5 kilometres west of Bapaume, and 19 kilometres south of Arras.
James had made his brother-in-law, James Morris, his executor when he made his Will on 13 February 1917. He left everything to his sister Helen and she received his British War and Victory medals at 61 Reuben Avenue, Brooklyn in June 1921. His Plaque and Scroll were sent to father, George at 13 South Ellen Street, Dundee, Scotland in October 1922.
The only ‘In Memoriam’ notice for James was inserted in the Evening Post of 28 August 1920:
“In loving memory of Gunner J.C. Mill killed in action at Bapaume on 29th August 1918. Inserted by his mate H. Bramley.“
Henry Stanley Bramley, #35236, was a Gunner in the same regiment as James.
Another of the Brooklyn men died in the Battle of Bapaume on 29 August and he too was eventually buried in Achiet-Le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension - Berty ELLIOTT.
Researched and written by Ann Walker
Regimental No. 35291
8 January 1896 – 29 August 1918
James Cooper MILL was born on 8 January 1896 at 7 Rosebank Road, Dundee, Scotland, son of George and Mary Jane (nee COOPER) Mill. George and Mary Jane had married 16 years earlier on 31st December 1880 in Dundee. On James’ birth certificate George’s occupation was “Cloth Lapper”, but he was later described as a “Calenderer”. Both these occupations are listed on the Hall Genealogy Website: Old Occupation Names (http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/). The Cloth Lapper cleaned cotton fibres before they were fed into the machines and the Calenderer smoothed cloth before it was fed between rollers. The jute industry dominated Dundee throughout the latter half of the 19th century and at the height of the industry's success, Dundee supported 62 jute mills, employing some 50,000 workers. Obviously George was one of those employed in the mills.
James had two older sisters, Catherine/Kate Cooper, born October 1881 and Helen/Ellen/Nellie born 1885. James’s mother died soon after he was born. When the 1901 Census was taken James was living as a boarder at number 9 Rosebank Road, next door to his widowed father and sisters. George was a still a widower at the time of the Census but remarried on 28 June the same year to Margaret MENMUIR (nee LINDSAY), a 43 year old widow.
On the 12th July 1907 James’ sister Helen (Nellie) married James Morris, a house painter, at 13 Ellen Street, “according to the form of the United Free Church of Scotland”. 13 Ellen Street was the usual residence noted for both of them, and was only a few streets away from Rosebank Road. Ellen was a jute worker, presumably at one of the many mills in the area.
Four years later, on 11th September 1911 Helen and James and their two small sons, James (3) and George Mill (1) sailed on the “Turakina” from London to Wellington. James Morris was described as a warehouseman.
The following year James Cooper Mill followed them, on his own, aged 16, on the “Westmeath”, departing on 26th November 1912 from Liverpool for Wellington. He was described as a millworker.
James went to live with his sister and brother-in-law and their family, first at 118 Ohiro Road, and later at 33 Reuben Avenue, Brooklyn, and found work as a clicker at R. Hannah & Co. (a boot and shoe manufacturer) in Leeds Street in Wellington. A clicker cuts out the leather for making the uppers of the boots and shoes. Before automation, each piece of leather used in the upper was cut out by hand, using a shaped knife. The knife was tapped with a hammer to force it through the leather, thus producing a clicking sound, giving rise to the name.
Helen and James Morris had three more children in Wellington - Amelia Thomson Proctor in 1913, Richard Lindsay Hunter in 1914, and Isabella Hill Sim in 1916. George and James went to Brooklyn School, but sadly James died in 1916 aged seven. Isabella also died at the age of seven in 1924, when the family were living in Christchurch. She and her sister Amelia attended the Sumner School for Deaf, and the family moved to Christchurch, presumably to support the two girls, sometime after 1921.
In preparation for active service James Cooper Mill was medically examined at Wellington on 25 February 1916, by which time he was 20 years old. His height was recorded as 5 feet 6 inches, weight 140 pounds, he had medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His religious profession was Presbyterian. His sight, hearing and colour vision were normal, his limbs and chest were well formed, his heart and lungs normal and the condition of his teeth was good. He was declared to be in good bodily and mental health and fit to serve.
Six months later James enlisted, signing his attestation papers on 30 August 1916 at Featherston where he was assigned the regimental number 35291 in 19th Company of the Field Artillery as a Gunner. At Featherston he received two inoculations on 20 and 29 September 1916.
On 16 February 1917 James embarked on HMNZT No.76 “Aparima” as one of the men in the 22nd Reinforcement. He was vaccinated again during the journey to England, and disembarked at Devonport on 2nd May 1917 from where he went to Sling Camp in Wiltshire for training. Only six weeks later he was on his way again, this time to France on 20th June. For the next nine months James remained in the field, serving most of the time as a Gunner with various batteries of the Field Artillery. He also spent a couple of months in the Divisional Ammunition Column, ensuring the guns were kept supplied with shells and everything else needed to continue pounding enemy positions. On 1 March 1918 he was given leave in the UK, re-joining his Unit in France on 19th March. One wonders whether he managed to see his father, sister and step-mother Margaret in Dundee during his leave.
Not long after returning to the front, James was wounded in the right ear, but not seriously as he only spent the day of the 12th April in No.1 New Zealand Field Ambulance before being discharged and returned to the Unit.
James continued as a Gunner for another four months until on 29 August 1918 he was wounded in action and admitted to the Advanced Dressing Station of No.3 NZ Field Ambulance. James died of his wounds there the same day, this date being verified on 7 September 1918. The date and the location of James’s burial confirms he was participating in the Second Battle of Bapaume, a British and Commonwealth attack that was the turning point of the First World War on the Western Front and the beginning of the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive. This battle was fought from 21 August to 3 September 1918. 29 August was the day the New Zealand Division, after heavy fighting, occupied Bapaume.
James was buried in the Achiet-Le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, grave IV.T.6. The cemetery is just outside the village of Achiet, which is about 5 kilometres west of Bapaume, and 19 kilometres south of Arras.
James had made his brother-in-law, James Morris, his executor when he made his Will on 13 February 1917. He left everything to his sister Helen and she received his British War and Victory medals at 61 Reuben Avenue, Brooklyn in June 1921. His Plaque and Scroll were sent to father, George at 13 South Ellen Street, Dundee, Scotland in October 1922.
The only ‘In Memoriam’ notice for James was inserted in the Evening Post of 28 August 1920:
“In loving memory of Gunner J.C. Mill killed in action at Bapaume on 29th August 1918. Inserted by his mate H. Bramley.“
Henry Stanley Bramley, #35236, was a Gunner in the same regiment as James.
Another of the Brooklyn men died in the Battle of Bapaume on 29 August and he too was eventually buried in Achiet-Le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension - Berty ELLIOTT.
Researched and written by Ann Walker
Additional Sources
ScotlandsPeople: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
Hall Genealogy Website: Old Occupation Names (http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/)
“They Hear With the Eye: A Centennial History of the Sumner School for Deaf Children, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1880-1980.” Allen, A. B. 1917-
Published by School Publications Branch, Dept. of Education, Wellington, 1980.
ScotlandsPeople: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
Hall Genealogy Website: Old Occupation Names (http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/)
“They Hear With the Eye: A Centennial History of the Sumner School for Deaf Children, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1880-1980.” Allen, A. B. 1917-
Published by School Publications Branch, Dept. of Education, Wellington, 1980.