Family group:

The Boer War and Great War campaign service group of six awarded to Company Sergeant-Major A. E. Mills, Royal Sussex Regiment
Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (6031 Pte. A. Mills, Rl. Sussex Regt.); 1914-15 Star (L-6031 C.S. Mjr. A. E. Mills, R. Suss. R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-6031 W.O. Cl. 2 A. E. Mills, R. Suss. R.); Delhi Durbar 1911; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (L-6031 C.S. Mjr. A. E. Mills, R. Suss. R.), together with Royal Sussex Regiment cap badge and shoulder titles, the first with contact marks and polished, nearly very fine, the remainder rather better

The Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service Medal awarded to Acting Leading Seaman A. E. Mills, Royal Fleet Reserve, his son
Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (JX. 125793 (Ch. D. 515) A. E. Mills, A./L.S., R.F.R.), good very fine (10) £350-400

Albert Edward Mills was born in Coventry in September 1881 and enlisted in the Royal Sussex Regiment in November 1899. Quickly seeing action out in South Africa, where he served in the 1st Battalion’s No. 2 Company, Mounted Infantry, from May 1901, he was next embarked for India in October 1902 (Medal & 5 clasps).

And with the exception of the period 1907-8, he remained employed out in India until the summer of 1919, in which period he was advanced to Corporal in June 1906, to Sergeant in December 1909 and, on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, to Company Sergeant-Major. As verified by his MIC entry, he first entered a theatre of war with the 1st Battalion in mid-August 1915, namely ‘the frontier regions of India’, when his unit formed part of the Peshawur Brigade, 1st Indian Division. Mills, whose award of the Delhi Durbar Medal is verified on his service record, was finally discharged in November 1920; sold with research, including medal roll extract for his son’s R.F.R. L.S. & G.C., which was awarded in April 1943.