Lt Tom Rethman Mills

[Bob Kent]

I see this topic is now quite old, but hope that someone is still monitoring it for any updates etc.  My story so far...  I am a semi-pro photographer and have a fascination for monochrome photography from around Victorian times.  While browsing eBay I spotted Glass Plate Negatives... wow, fell in love with them and had to buy one.  So I saw one of a young man dressed in his uniform for a formal pose in great condition.  I bought it (still on way to me), my plan is to produce a print from the negative and then also a digital colourised one, then to add information about the young man.
So the young man in question turns out to be Tom R Hills and the photo was taken when he was in the Harrow School Officer Training Corps when he had the photos taken.  I have since found out the rest of his career and sadly death.  Some of that information coming from this site. One of my hurdles was to work out the colour of the uniform... which I have now got thanks to another great forum for WW1 information. The main reason for the post was to post the photo I have, so that if anyone following this chaps life story can add it to it.  Its the photo off eBay that I bought it based on, as is and nothing done to it. If anyone would be interested in seeing the final colour version let me know.  It will take a few weeks to complete. Thanks for your information, god rest his soul.    Sorry on a extra not I think the photo is a mirror image, I need to check when it arrives as I have been told the chest strap is the wrong way round.

[Tim Bell]

Great Photo Bob,
Thanks for posting.
Check out Harrow School & Trinity College Rolls of Honour. Also Obit https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3051930
I reckon there's enough evidence out there to correct his middle name on CWGC.  I'll provide them with the evidence and let you know.
It will be great to see the colour image when you've done it.
Welcome.
Tim

[mack]

hiya bob
it could be a difficult road to finding any relatives of tom

his older sister phyllis married william,reginald frend,he was the capt+adjutant of the 2nd sherwood foresters,he was killed in action in the battle of the aisne on 21-9-1914
they had two children,richard,william+dorothea,elizabeth,richard died in parkside hospital,macclesfield on 24-12-1960,the trail went cold then
dorothea married the reverend victor,joseph pike CBE
i think one of their children was simon,v pike,last known address in around 2006 was 69 bennerley road,SW11 6DR[wife sally]

good hunting bob,i hope you trace someone

mack

[Bob Kent]

hiya bob
it could be a difficult road to finding any relatives of tom

his older sister phyllis married william,reginald frend,he was the capt+adjutant of the 2nd sherwood foresters,he was killed in action in the battle of the aisne on 21-9-1914
they had two children,richard,william+dorothea,elizabeth,richard died in parkside hospital,macclesfield on 24-12-1960,the trail went cold then
dorothea married the reverend victor,joseph pike CBE
i think one of their children was simon,v pike,last known address in around 2006 was 69 bennerley road,SW11 6DR[wife sally]

good hunting bob,i hope you trace someone

mack

Hey Mack,

Thank you for all that information, its funny I see a few names on there when I was looking for Tom in the first place. I have no link to Tom other than my interaction with his photograph, but wanted to bring his photo to life us such. I will post back if I manage to add to this information.  Thanks again. Bob :-)

[Bob Kent]

I think I have the link from Victor Joseph Pike. 
He married Dorothea Elizabeth Frend, and they had three children, Caroline (b. 1940), Jane (b. 1942) and Simon (b. 1948). In 1966, Caroline married Simon Alexander Bowes-Lyon, first cousin to Elizabeth II.

Sir Simon Alexander Bowes-Lyon
On 11 April 1966, he married Caroline Mary Victoria Pike (b. 27 September 1940) and they have four children:

Rosemary Pema “Rosie” Bowes-Lyon (b. 1968), married on 7 September 1996 to Nicholas David Kirkland Glazebrook, they have three children.
Fergus Alexander Bowes-Lyon (b. 1970), married in 2000 to Frances Margaret Anne Harris, they have two children.
David Victor Bowes-Lyon (b. 1973), married in 2002 to Jennifer Hurst (b. 1977), they have one son.
Andrew Simon Bowes-Lyon (b. 1979), married on 2 June 2012 to Melanie Fletcher, they have one daughter.

Andrew or Andy is on Facebook as Andy Bowes Lyon.   

Hope this gives plenty of leads to anyone interested. :-)

[Bob Kent]

Just to add to this...    It seems Toms Great Niece's ... Father-in-Law's, Father was the brother of the Queens Mum.  If that makes any sense lol.

[Tim Bell]

Tom Mills CWGC record has now been corrected. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/688699/TOM%20RETHMAN%20MILLS/