Arthur Millington was the son of Charles and Jane Millington, 32 Stanley Rd, Buckley Square. From the 1911 census, Charles and Jane Millington had 10 children, 9 living including Charles, Arthur, George, Annie, Harry, Jane, Martha, and Ellen.
The North Wales Coast Pioneer, reported July 2 1916 that Mr. Charles Millington, Stanley-road, Buckley, paid a visit to Oldham Hospital, to see his son, Private Charles Millington, who was severely wounded in the recent heavy fighting in France. Charles Millington was living in Oldham after the war.
His Army Service Records have survived and are accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk
From his Service Record, Arthur Millington, a Collier, was 19 years 9 months when he enlisted in Buckley on the 12th December 1915. He was 5 feet 5 1/4 inches tall, weighed 124 lbs and had a chest measurement of 35 inches (with a 2 1/2 inch expansion range). His physical development was deemed to be good. He was placed in the Army Reserve the next day and was mobilised on the 1st March 1916.
He embarked from Devonport on HT Aragon on the 8th October 1916 and disembarked at Alexandria on the 30th October 1916 and joined his base the same day. He joined for duty ‘in the field’ on the 23rd October 1916. The records show that he embarked for El Arish Port Said on the 25th December 1916. On the 26th March 1917 in Gaza he was first reported wounded, then reported wounded and missing and finally reported killed in action. He had served for 1 year and 105 days.
His next of kin was his mother, Jane. There is correspondence with her in the records regarding the receipt of his medals, personal effects and after the war, a memorial plaque and scroll. The only personal effects that she received was one identity disc.
Arthur Millington was one of four Buckley soldiers who died on 26 March 1917 at the First Battle of Gaza, the others being William Cox, William Henry Hayes, and Edmund Godfrey Catherall. All are named either on the Jerusalem Memorial or Gaza War Cemetery. Edward Catherall from Pentrobin, named on the Hawarden Memorial, also died 26 March and is named on the Jerusalem Memorial. From an article on Wikipedia, British casualties amounted to 4,000; 523 killed, 2932 wounded and over 512 missing. The CWGC website list 175 men from the RWF who died on 26th March, named on Jerusalem or Gaza memorials, and 6 who died on 27th March.
The RWF were part of the 158th (North Wales) brigade which advanced from Mansura, attacking a position called Ali Muntar. “The attacking infantry brigades met with stubborn opposition from determined defenders, firing from strong entrenchments with a clear view of the infantry line of advance, over completely open ground. In these conditions, the attacking infantry’s artillery support proved inadequate and a very high number of casualties was suffered.”