Frederick Mills (17 August 1911 â 5 December 1944) was an English footballer who played at right-half for Port Vale and Leeds United throughout the 1930s. He was killed during World War II.
Frederick Mills born on 18 August 1911; he was the son of Frederick and Ann Mills of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. He worked at a local pottery firm.
Mills initially joined Port Vale from Middleport as an amateur in April 1932. He signed professional forms the next month. He scored his first goal in professional football on 10 December 1932, in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Bradford Park Avenue at the Old Recreation Ground. He finished the 1932âÂÂ33 season with three goals in 37 appearances. He scored twice in 37 Second Division games in the 1933âÂÂ34 campaign. He was sold to Leeds United in June 1934, as the club were running short of money.
He made his debut for Leeds at centre-forward before switching to inside-right. After 16 games of the 1934âÂÂ35 season he broke his leg, causing him to miss the entire 1935âÂÂ36 campaign. He played 32 times at wing-half in the 1936âÂÂ37 season, and scored twice in 12 First Division appearances in 1937âÂÂ38. He played eight games in 1938âÂÂ39, but left Elland Road after the outbreak of World War II.
Mills joined the 6th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry, a new unit formed in 1940, which was converted into 181st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1942. Gunner Mills was known to his comrades as 'Paddy' and was a member of the regimental football team. On 5 December 1944, after the fighting for Blerick in the Netherlands, the regiment was in convoy and halted in a taped route through a minefield. "The story goes that Paddy had found most of a German Machine Gun and was keen to complete his trophy ⦠Suddenly Paddy was heard to shout 'That's just what I'm looking for' or words to that effect. He jumped out of the lorry, and into the minefield. It's not clear whether he stepped on a mine, or the box he picked up was booby-trapped, but Paddy was killed instantly." Recordedly aged 36, he left a widow, Lucy and 2 month year old daughter Pauline, and is buried in Venray War Cemetery.