Engineman Charles Mills – Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.
Trawler Picton Castle
Early Life and Family
 |
| British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records |
Charles Mills was born in
1869 in Swansea. He later
married
Annie Mary Mills, and the couple made their home at
41 Vivian
Road, Sketty, Swansea. According to the
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, Charles served with the
Royal Naval Reserve
during the First World War and was among the Swansea men who lost their lives
while serving aboard H.M. Trawler
Picton Castle.
Loss of H.M. Trawler Picton Castle
On 19th February 1917, H.M. Trawler Picton
Castle struck a mine laid by the German submarine UC‑17. The
explosion occurred approximately three miles southeast of Dartmouth harbour,
and the vessel sank rapidly. Twelve crew members were lost, including Skipper
Alfred George Kippin and several men from South Wales. As an Engineman
of the Royal Naval Reserve, Charles Mills was among those who perished in the
disaster.
Impact on Swansea and Press Coverage
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
The sinking of the
Picton Castle was widely reported
in the regional press. The
South Wales Daily Post covered the tragedy in
detail, noting that
three of the twelve men lost were from Swansea,
emphasising the heavy blow the disaster dealt to the local community. Families
and neighbours across the city mourned the loss of the men who had served
aboard the ill‑fated trawler, and the tragedy echoed across other coastal towns
in Britain that suffered similar wartime maritime losses.
Death and Commemoration
 |
Charles Mills
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave |
As one of the crew lost at sea,
Charles Mills has no
known grave. His name is commemorated on the
Plymouth Naval Memorial,
which honours Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve personnel who died during the
First World War and have no burial place but the sea. His inclusion on the
memorial ensures that his service and sacrifice are formally remembered
alongside thousands of others who gave their lives in maritime service.
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