Stockwell War Memorial

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DOW

Arthur Joseph Mullett

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A. J. Mullett
Service no. 130014
Pioneer, Royal Engineers, 3rd Battalion Special Brigade; formerly 35044, London Regiment
Born in Lambeth; enlisted at Holborn; lived in Lambeth
Died of wounds on 1 July 1916, aged about 21
Remembered at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France

Brother of George Thomas Mullett

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Arthur Joseph Mullett, then a 14-year-old schoolboy, lived at 12 Ely Place, Stockwell with his parents, a brother and a sister. The family had lived at that address since at least 1901. His parents were from Dorset: Henry Mullett, 51, was a horsekeeper for a brewery (a job he was doing at the time of the 1901 census), born in North Matravers; Harriett Mullett, 52, was from Swanage. Emily Mullett, 26, was an ironer for a laundry, born in Lambeth; William Mullett, 23, was a welder for a bus company, also born in Lambeth; Arthur Mullett was born in Battersea. The family occupied 4 rooms. Elizabeth Mullett (in 1901 a laundry machine hand) and George Mullett (in 1901 working as a printer’s boy in the lithography department) had left home.

Information from Terry Reeves

Around March 1916 Arthur would have been transferred from the London Regiment to the Royal Engineers Special Brigade, who were responsible for much of Britain’s offensive chemical warfare effort on the Western Front. Arthur would have been sent initially to Helfaut, some 4 miles south of St Omer, where the Special Brigade had established their expeditionary force Depot. He would have been billeted in one of the surrounding villages as the 3rd Battalion formed up. The unit was a cylinder company responsible for dispensing gas from heavy cylinders which had to be carried into the front line, often with assistance from the infantry, and installed in the front line trenches.

On the night of 30 June/1 July 1916, Arthur’s K Company detachment was tasked to release cylinders containing “White Star” gas, so-called because of the white star emblem on the cylinder.  They were filled with a 50/50 mix of phosgene and chlorine. The former had a low vapour pressure and needed a propellant, which was provided by the chlorine which had a higher vapour pressure. The release of this gas was part of a minor operation in support of 2nd Australian Brigade at Ploegsteert in Belgium. The battalion war diary noted the following:

“106116 Cpl R. G. Williams, 1282286 Pioneer A Lewis and 130014 Pioneer AJ Mullett were working in an emplacement, their Tower Respirators were fixed efficiently. A shell burst in front of our parapet and blew a cloud of gas back so that some entered the bay occupied by these men. They all felt a slight irritation and reported to their section commander, who ordered them to go to at once to the dressing station. The two pioneers remained, but later Cpl Williams said that he felt quite well and returned to his work. He was sent back to the hospital at once. All three were dead by the following morning.”

Cpl Williams and Pioneer Lewis are recorded as dying on 30 June and Pioneer Mullet dying on 1 July at No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station. 

The report continued:

“The Tower Respirator which each man was wearing throughout the attack is proof against White Star gas. 

“It is surmised that respirators must have been temporarily displaced by a shell which is known to have wrecked the emplacement.”

From a technical point of view, phosgene had a delayed-action effect, of anything up 48 hours. Any exertion could bring about tiredness and collapse during that time which fits with the casualties described above. 

All three men are buried in Baileull Communal Cemetery. Cpl Williams and Pioneer Lewis side by side and Arthur Mullett just a few graves away in the same row.

James Morris

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J. Morris
Service no. 148649
Corporal, Royal Garrison Artillery, 110th Heavy Bty., formerly 2391, Middlesex Regiment
Died of wounds 2 August 1917
Born in Stockwell; enlisted in London; lived in Brixton
Remembered at Loos Memorial, France

John Charles Miller

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J. C. Miller
Service no. 7267
Private, Australian Infantry, A.I.F., 21st Battalion
Died of wounds 19 May 1918 aged 21
CWGC: “Son of Amy Miller, of 296, Clapham Rd., London. Native of Middlesex, England.”
Remembered at Querrieu British Cemetery, Somme, France

Information from the Australian National Archives

John Charles Miller, a single man earning his living as a clerk, lived at 300 Queens Street, Melbourne, Australia when he signed up for service in the Infantry on 12 December 1916. Within days he was on the troop ship Ballarat heading for Devonport, England, where he arrived in late April 1917.

Miller was 5 feet 10 inches and 148 pounds (10½ stone), his chest measured 36 inches and he could expand it by an impressive 5 inches. He had a scar on his right knee. He had blue eyes, brown hair and his complexion was described as “mid”, whatever that means. His father was deceased, but his mother lived at 296 Clapham Road.

The journey was not without events. Miller was hauled up twice – once for failing to report for duty when warned and once for going absent without leave, for which he was punished with 24 hours detention. He was also made to forfeit two days’ pay (10 shillings).

By September 1917 he had joined his battalion. We know he had a period of leave to England between 16 January and 16 February 1918, and on 19 May he suffered a shell wound to his left leg, which shattered. He died of wounds in the 5th Australian Field Ambulance.

Before he died, Miller wrote a will leaving all his possessions to his mother, Amy Miller. This was dated 4 August 1917, that is before he went to France. It was witnessed by Laura Miller of 35 St Stephens Terrace, South Lambeth, who stated that she was involved in “war work at the Admiralty” and by a police constable, Stephen Staughton, who lived in the same house as Amy.

Arthur Morley Miller

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Arthur Morley Miller
Arthur Morley Miller

A. M. Miller
Service no. C/4039
Lance Serjeant, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 20th Battalion
Born in Clapham; enlisted in Battersea; lived in Clapham
Died of wounds on 30 September 1917 age 27
CWGC: “Son of William and Emma Miller, of Clapham; husband of K. F. Miller, of 50, Chelsham Rd., Clapham, London.”
Remembered at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium

Arthur Morley Miller
Arthur Morley Miller. Photo (c) Marietta Crichton Stuart

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920
Arthur Morley Miller joined the King’s Royal Rifle Corps at Battersea on 28 June 1915. He gave his address as 27 Courland Grove, Clapham and described himself as a clerk. The Army assessed him as being 5 feet 5 inches, with a 34½ inch chest which he could expand by 2½ inches. His one distinguishing mark was two moles under his left nipple.

He had no charges on his conduct form and by the time he died of wounds on 20 September 1917 he had risen to become Lance Serjeant. In October 1916 he was wounded and was sent back to England for treatment. At the London General Hospital at Poplar, east London, a doctor described the shrapnel wound to his left hand as a flesh wound with the bones not affected but the tendons exposed. He was discharged after three months and sent back to the front.

He must have had another period of leave because he married Kathleen Florence Cherrill on 16 February 1917. She later received his effects: a crucifix, 2 razors, a French book, letters, a religious book, a cap badge, dentures, diary, a wrist watch and strap, photos, a fountain pen and a whistle. When the Army sent Arthur’s medals, they described him as a Corporal. Florence wrote back: “Am sorry to note you have put Cpl. Miller on both my husband’s medals. He was a L. Sgt.”

Information from the 1911 census

Arthur Morley Miller, 20, was a builder’s clerk. He lived at 27 Courland Grove, where his large family occupied six rooms – he had 11 siblings and half-siblings. His father, Arthur William Miller, 53, worked as a carman. He was born in Lambeth. His mother, Emma Eliza Miller, 49, was from Marylebone, central London. An aunt, Alice Kate Miller, 55, a single machinist of underclothing, lived with the family. Eight children of Arthur William Miller were on the census return:
Alice Kate Miller, 31, born in Lambeth
Albert Ernest Miller, 24, a carpenter, born in Clapham
Arthur Morley Miller, 20, born in Clapham
Louise Emma Miller, 19, a laundry packer, born in Clapham
Elsie Elizabeth Miller, 17, a book folder, born in Clapham
Frederick John Miller, 14, an office boy to an electrical engineer, born in Clapham (he also served in the Army)
Dorothy Ethel Miller, 9, born in Clapham
Amy Eliza Miller, 6, born in Clapham

James William McEvoy

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J. W. McEvoy
Service no. 93025
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery, 378th Bty. 169th Bde.
Died of wounds on 28 April 1918 at age 21
CWGC: “Son of James and Elizabeth McEvoy, of 35 Sutherland Street, Pimlico, London. Native of South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport, France

Information from the 1901 Census

In 1901 James McEvoy was 4 and living with his parents at 38 Lansdowne Road, a boarding house. His parents, James McEvoy, 30, from Pimlico, and Elizabeth McEvoy, 30, from Bedford, had six boarders (their first names are not listed):
Smith, 53, a widowed dress-maker, from Hampshire
Farris, 26, a cheesemonger, born in Guildford
Major, 40, a commercial traveller, born in Clapham
Geverding, 32, a musician, born in Camberwell
O’Connell, 25, a bank clerk, born in Southsea
Mortlock, 46, a governess, born in Hackney
I cannot find James William McEvoy on the 1911 census.