BORN BEVERLEY 01/02/1890. SON OF WILLIAM CARR MILSON (1866-1955) AND ANN MARIE COOPER (1866-1931), OF 6, ALEXANDER AVENUE, ALEXANDRA STREET, BEVERLEY ROAD, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS) AND 13 ST JOHN’S ROAD, SCARBOROUGH. BROTHER OF MABEL, WILLIAM, LILY AND GEORGE. SON OF A SOLDIER. HIS FULL NAME WAS WILLIAM JAMES DENTON MILSON. HE WAS A REGULAR SOLDIER (1911 CENSUS) WHEN WAR BEGAN. HE ENLISTED IN BEVERLEY, ON 24/08/1904, AGED 14. HE SERVED IN SUDAN, SIERRE LEONE AND SOUTH AFRICA. PROMOTED TO SERGEANT, 7813, OF ‘A’ COMPANY, THE 2ND YORKSHIRE HUSSARS. POSTED TO FRANCE ON 23/06/1915. HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL (DCM) IN NOVEMBER 1915, FOR RESCUING WOUNDED WITH A CORPORAL, UNDER CONSTANT SNIPING FIRE. HE WAS WOUNDED ON THE THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME, WHILE ASSAULTING MONTAUBAN. HE DIED OF WOUNDS ON 04/07/1916, AGED 26.
HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS MOTHER ANNIE MARIE. HIS NAME IS RECORDED ON THE BEVERLEY WAR MEMORIAL, MEMORIAL GARDENS.
HE IS BURIED ON THE SOMME AT CORBIE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “HE GAVE HIS LIFE FREELY FOR GOD AND HIS COUNTRY IN HIS ARMS SECURELY FOLDED.”
