Walter Millington was born on the 29th August 1913, according to the 1939 National Register, and there is a possible birth of a Walter Millington in the December quarter of 1913, but the certificate would have to be purchased to confirm /deny. Walter was the son of John & Mary Ann Millington, (nee Crofts), who, according to a Family Trees on Ancestry*, married on November 18, 1899, in Bury, Lancashire, England.
*https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/26548575/person/5106231653/story – many thanks to them.
The family must have been moving around the country for work, as John was a Coalminer and I know they did travel to where the work was. The 1901 census sees John, 22, a Miner – Byman? (Below Ground) and Mary Ann, 19 telling us that they were both born in Buckley. Their son John James, had been born in Radcilffe, Lancashire 10 months previously.
The 1911 census sees the family still in Buckley, living at Mount Terrace, Lane End, John , 32 and a Brick Yard Labourer (Brick Works) and Mary Ann, 29, now tell us that they had been married 11 years and 6 children had been born, sadly 1 had died. John James was now age 10, with siblings Beatrice, 9, Alfred Edward, 7, Mary Elizabeth, 4 and Caroline, 2, made up the family.
The 1921 census (Taken on the 19th June 1921) shows the family, now living at 2 Off Brook Street, Buckley, Chester. John still head of the household, now 42 years and 5 months, he was a General Labourer and worked for Messrs W. Hancock & Co., Brick & Tile Manufacturers, Buckley. Mary Ann was now 39 years and 2 months, she was doing “Home Duties.” Beatrice, 19 years 2 months, single and was a Bottle Washer at Messrs E.K. Gregory, Mineral Water Factory in Buckley. Alfred Edward, age 17 years 4 month had been born in Nottingham and was now a Pony Driver, Underground working for Watkinson & Son Collieries, Buckley. Their younger children were Mary Elizabeth, 14 years 1 month, Caroline, 12 years 6 months, Doris, 10 years 1 month, Walter, 7 years 10 months, born in Wrexham, Denbighshire and James, 1 year 6 months, born in Buckley.
I also believe that his mother Mary Ann was to die age 45 years in the March quarter of 1927 (Hawarden Vol. 11b, Page 340).
However, I believe that he was to meet and marry Sheila Clayton, in a Civil Ceremony at Holywell, (Flintshire (Mold)HOL/60/40), as the Family Tree of horton10new.geg – dpearce193 on Ancestry.co.uk
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/112916294/person/260107954638/story tells us that he married Sheila Clayton on the 15th April 1936 in Connah’s Quay, Flintshire.
See also https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/112916294/person/262039914009/story
And from Ancestry nine8ths (JONES Family Tree) – https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/26548575/person/12250101690/facts?ssrc=
A description of Walter:- Walter Millington – (1913-1942)
Height 5ft .5 inches – eyes brown, hair Black hair
Med Ref.No at Wrexham SJT 1083
Enlisting in army 29.7.1940 at Cardiff
The 1939 National Register which was taken on the 29th September 1939 shows Walter and his family living at 194 High Street , Connah’s Quay. Walter’s date of birth was given as the 29th August 1913 and he was in the Viscose Dept at a Silk Works, his wife Sheila’s date of birth was 23rd March 1912 and as most married women on the Register her occupation was described as “Unpaid Domestic Duties,” their son Walter’s date of birth was given as the 29th August 1936, at School and their daughter Sheila ‘s was the 27th February 1938 and she was under school age.
The Royal Artillery attestations 1883-1942 does not give any date of entry, in fact it just states his name and Regimental No. and – “Died 22nd March 1942.”
The Casualty List (Page 2) also gives little to help tell his story, except that he was “Killed in Action,” and “Malta.”
Walter’s Casualty Card does give us our first inkling of how Walter died, it tell us that he was “Killed by Enemy Air Action.” This source also confirms his place of birth and place of Residence.
History Information from the CWGC Website gives a little indication what Walter and his fellow Servicemen went through:-
“During the Second World War, Malta’s position in the Mediterranean was of enormous Allied strategic importance. Heavily fortified, the island was never invaded, but was subjected to continual bombardment and blockade between Italy’s entry into the war in June 1940 and the Axis defeat at El Alamein in November 1942. At the height of Axis attempts to break Malta’s resistance in April 1942, the island and her people were awarded the George Cross by King George VI. Malta’s defence relied upon a combined operation in which the contributions made by the three branches of the armed forces and Merchant Navy were equally crucial.”
Please click on https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/2017/03/21/21-march-1942-300000kg-of-bombs-on-maltas-day-in-hell/ to read what happened on the night of the 21st March 1942.
– 21 March 1942: 300,000kg of Bombs on Malta’s “Day in Hell.” – During the 24 hours from Dawn 21st March to Dawn the 22nd March 1942.
Walter is buried with two other servicemen who gave their lives, Cpl. Douglas Baldwin, who died on the 21st March 1942 and was in the 2nd Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers and Gunner Alfred Hall, 5 Hy. A.A. Regt, Royal Artillery who died on the 7th Match 1942,age 30. So he is in good company.
My friend Sadie Millington, Walter’s daughter-in-law, was able to help with information, and I saw her recently with her daughter Debbie Kitto and she said that she would send me a photo of Walter, so I have added this to his page to add to his story. Debbie tells me that she and her husband went to visit her Grandfather’s grave in Malta on the Anniversary of his death on the 22nd March 2007 and she sent me the photographs of the graveyard and The Cross of Sacrifice in Pembroke Cemetery, so I have added them on to Walter’s page as a memento of their pilgrimage. Many thanks to Debbie and Sadie.
Walter was dearly loved and his name was put forward to be added to the War Memorial, so that he would be remembered in perpetuity.
