| Name |
Albert Jack Mullins |
| Birth |
25 Feb 1906 |
Holywell, Dorset, England  [1, 2] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Census |
2 Apr 1911 |
Holywell, Dorset, England [1, 3] |
| Age: 5y |
| Occupation |
Between 1923 and 1930 [4] |
| Soldier |
- Jack joined the army on 31/8/1923 having lied about his age by saying he was born in 1904.
Enlisted in the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment. Number 5613417
His postings were as follows
Home 31.08.23 29.12.24
India 30.12.24 17.03.26
Aden 18.03.26 28.03.27
Home 29.03.27 30.08.30
As can be seen from the dates Jack did 16 months at the regimental depot for his initial period of service before joining the second battalion in India where they had been stationed since 1919 2.
India
When Jack arrived in India the battalion was serving as a unit of the Viceroys Guard, which consisted of one British infantry battalion, and Indian infantry battalion and a Royal Horse Artillery battery. The battalion had been involved in the fighting around Waziristan, in what is now Pakistan, but by the time Jack arrived its duties were predominately ceremonial, a modicum of training combined with great ceremonial,King's birthdays, heroic funerals which could have rivaled those of any Moghul Prince and a regular diet of inspections.
The Battalion spent the "cool season" in Delhi (November to February) moving out to Kailana in March or April as the weather became impossible. Single men like Jack stayed for 3 months from March to June, then returned to New Cantonments to be replaced by another party for the next three months.
Kailana is north of Delhi and 7,500 feet above sea level. One officer described it as not unlike the Scottish Highlands wild rhododendrons instead of rowans and once the monsoons started 'Dark Indian oaks, pines, cedars, wreathed in creepers festooned with roses . . . the ground beneath displaying brambles, violets, ox eye daisies, buttercups, dahlias in a riot of colour'. And, fifty miles away, but looking in the diamond sharp air as if it could be reached in an afternoon's stroll, the 27,000 feet high peak of Nanda Devi 'the blessed goddess' -- believed by many travellers to be the most beautiful mountain in the world.
Aden
Jacks Record Book shows him transferring from India to Aden in March of 1926, which is somewhat strange as the Battalion would appear to have been in Aden since at least June of 1925.
Most travel books mention that the town stands in an extinct volcano surrounded by arid rocks and with an average annual temperature of 86 o c. The heat is damp and steamy. Of the two main centres of troop concentration, Crater and Steamer Point some idea of the delights offered by Aden can be discerned in the suffuse quality of its place names. Steamer Point is to be preferred as it sometimes enjoys a sea breeze. 'Aden swarms with bugs, they are to be found everywhere' the intelligence report from the Royal Scots goes on '. . . A block of buildings at Crater called "Prickly Heat Alley" provides a liquor and supper bar. The only recreations are fishing and rock climbing men who do this get lost and have to be rescued. Water difficult and strictly rationed. All drinking, cooking and dhobi water is condensed, brackish and unfit for Europeans. Special rations are issued to combat BeriBeri (no cases in the Royal Scots but the Border Regt. had some). Dengue Fever is prevalent; particularly among families Aden is a bad place for families: all who can should go on home to England.'
On a more cheerful note the report ended with the remark that Aden was only a short-stay station and that the next stop was usually Britain.
Home
On the Battalions return to England, the regimental history has little to say other than to state that the battalions health was poor. Jack once told his son Alan that return across the Bay of Biscay was horrendous and once you got to a toilet you stayed with it.
Although the dates are not known at the moment Alan can remember a picture of Jack with the Regiments rugby team and that Jack was always very knowledgeable about the sport.
Jack served for 8 years in England before his discharge. His service was exemplary according to his references and it is shown in his records that he served in the officers mess for the last year of his service.
He was then in the reserves until 30/8/39. He told Alan that he wanted to re-enlist for the duration of the second world war, but his employer said that if he did his family would have to leave their tied cottage. As a protected occupation Jack had no option, but to comply.
|
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Kailana Officers Hill
Keywords: Picture |
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Steamer Point 2
Keywords: Picture |
|
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Steamer Point
Keywords: Picture |
| Occupation |
1931 |
| Farm Worker |
| Newpaper Article |
2 Oct 1931 |
Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England [5, 6] |
| Fainted At P.C.'s Allegation |
Address:
Police Court |
| Newpaper Article |
9 Oct 1931 |
Dorchester, Dorset, England [7, 8] |
| Farm Labourer Acquitted |
Address:
Dorchester Crown Court |
| Residence |
Between 21 Jan 1934 and 1936 |
Woolcombe, Dorset, England [9, 10] |
- Alan was born here.
- Role: Resident
|
| Residence |
Between 1936 and 1937 |
Evershot, Dorset, England [10, 11] |
Address:
Fortunes Wood Farm |
|
| Residence |
Between 1937 and 1939 |
Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England [5, 10] |
Address:
6 Dorchester Road |
|
| Census |
29 Sep 1939 |
Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England [5, 12] |
Address:
40 Dorchester Road |
- Date of birth shown as 25th Feb 1905.
|
| Ancestor Count |
48 |
| Descendant Count |
15 |
| Occupation |
29 Sep 1939 |
Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England [5, 12] |
| Farm Carter |
| Residence |
Between 1940 and 1943 |
Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England [5, 10] |
Address:
5 Folly Road |
- Alan can remember hiding under the stairs when a German bomber dumped his bombs down the Dorchester road and blew out the glass on thier old house on Dorchester road. Jack built a shelter in the garden, but it was only a bit of tin with a thin grass covering.
- Role: Resident
|
| Residence |
Between 1941 and 1943 |
Yetminster, Dorset, England [10, 13] |
Address:
Melbury Road |
|
| Residence |
Between 1943 and 1946 |
Yetminster, Dorset, England [10, 13] |
Address:
Manor Farm |
- They shared the main farm house with the farmer Frank Partridge and.his family. Alan can remember the horses were called Prince and Blackbird, and Frank had a Austin 10 car with a trialler which they used to ride in the kids and not the horses. Alan used to ride the horses down to the Blacksmiths when they needed shoeing and ride them back after school.
- Role: Resident
|
| Residence |
1945 |
Woolcombe, Dorset, England [9, 10] |
- Rita was born here.
- Role: Resident
|
| Residence |
Between 1946 and 1947 |
Yeovil, Somerset, England [10, 14] |
Address:
2 Swing Gate Cottages, Newton Hill, BA20 2RZ |
|
| Residence |
Between 1947 and 1947 |
Hinton Saint George, Somerset, England [10, 15] |
Address:
Hinton Park Farm |
- The house was in a remote area, quite a long way from the village, Alan once opened as someone was knocking to discover a cow who poked her head in to see what was about.
- Role: Resident
|
| Residence |
Between 1947 and 1963 |
Sydling St Nicholas, Dorset, England [10, 16] |
Address:
5 Marrs Cross |
|
| Residence |
Between 1963 and 1965 |
Brympton D'Evercy, Somerset, England [10, 17, 18] |
Address:
2 Highleaze Cottages |
- On the right as just before you reach the Brympton House turning, coming from Yeovil. Newpaper for Rita's wedding gives the address as 3 Houndstone Cottages.
- Role: Resident
|
| Occupation |
Est 1965 |
| Groundsman |
Address:
Brympton De'Vercy House, Somerset, England |
| Residence |
Between 1965 and Feb 1984 |
Alvington, Yeovil, Somerset, England [10, 19] |
Address:
No 4 |
|
| Misc |
20 Jan 1984 |
Alvington, Yeovil, Somerset, England [19, 20] |
Address:
2 |
- Jack and Mollie celebrated their Golden wedding with a gathering of both children and all the grandchildren.
|
|
|
Newspaper - Western Gazette - 1984 - Mullins Jack and Mollie Goldend Wedding
|
| _USED |
Jack |
| Death |
14 Feb 1984 |
Alvington, Yeovil, Somerset, England [19, 21, 22] |
| Cause: Heart Failure |
Address:
2 Alvington Cottages |
| Burial |
18 Feb 1984 |
Brympton D'Evercy, Somerset, England [17, 23] |
Address:
St Andrews Church |
- The service was at 11:30am and was organised by Irish and Denman, Funeral Directors from South Petherton.
Witness Role: Attended Name: Miss W Bell (great niece)
Witness Role: conductant Name: Rev A Dean
Witness Role: Attended Name: Mr & Mrs H Bowditch (Uncle and Aunt)
|
| Person ID |
I6 |
Taubman Family Tree |
| Last Modified |
20 Sep 2018 |
Jane Taubman's Family Home
1906 - 1984 (77 years)
