John Mills

Colonel Sir John Digby Mills (29 September 1879 – 2 July 1972) was a British Conservative Party politician and British Army officer. He served as Member of Parliament for New Forest and Christchurch from 1932 to 1945. Early life Mills was born on 29 September 1879 to The Reverend Cecil Mills and Anne Henrietta Frances Mills, née Nicolls. He was christened on 2 November 1879. He was educated at Charterhouse, then an all-boys public school in Surrey. He studied at Oriel College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Career In 1901, Mills was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Warwickshire Yeomanry of the Imperial Yeomanry, British Army. He saw active service in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France. He left the British Army in 1920, with the rank of major. On 2 September 1939, Mills became a lieutenant in the National Defence Companies. In 1940, he was a group organiser for the Local Defence Volunteers. From 1941 to 1943, he was commander of the New Forest Group of the Home Guard, and held the rank of colonel. From 1943 to 1945, he served as second in command of the Hampshire Zone.