Sergeant Henry Millman
Died 16th August 1917, aged 36 years

Henry Millman was born in Condover and baptised on 6th March 1881. He was the 9th child of Thomas and Elizabeth Millman.  At the time of his birth the family were living at Condover Post Office with Thomas's mother Ann, a widow who is recorded in the 1881 census as being a Postmistress and Blacksmith. Henry's father Thomas was a Blacksmith.

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In 1891 Henry was still living in Condover with his Grandmother who, at the age of 81, is still the Sub Postmistress.

 

In January 1899, at the stated age of 18 years 11 months (not the 17 years 11 months it should have been), Henry joined the East Yorkshire Regiment, service number 5980. His occupation is given as Groom. Either the date of attestation was wrong (the forms already being pre-printed with 189…) or he was too young to have joined. We cannot know.

 

His handwriting can be seen on his Attestation Statement, below.

 

In 1907 Henry married Alice Bromley at Smethcott parish church. Alice's family lived at Park Gate, Smethcott at the time of her marriage.

 

Henry and Alice had 2 children. Leslie was born in 1909 and Doreen in 1914.

 

In 1911 the family was living at Hollybush Cottage, Lower Wood, Church Stretton and Henry gives his occupation as Civil Service Postman. His handwriting can be seen on the 1911 census record. Later in 1911 Henry re-joined the army as a reserve and then became a full time soldier. He joined the King's Shropshire Light Infantry with the service number 25075 and finally became a Sergeant with the 9th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers with the service number 37281. In July 1917 his Battalion went to France and fought in the battle of Langermarck, better known as Passchendaele. Henry was killed, along with many others, on the 16th August, the first day of the attack.

 

Henry is commemorated on the Tyne Cot memorial in Belgium. This is the resting place of almost 12,000 First World War servicemen of the British Empire.  It is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the world.