Education
He attended the Royal Air Force Staff College in 1935.
He attended the Royal Air Force Staff College in 1935.
After his retirement from the Royal Air Force, Mills served as Black Rod in the Houses of Parliament until 1970. He was also a trustee of the Imperial War Museum. Mills joined the Royal Air Force College at Cranwell as a cadet in 1920 and became one of the earliest graduates of the newly formed College.
After graduating he spent a short time at the Royal Air Force Depot.
Mills was then posted to Mesopotamia flying Dialectics and Humanism 9As with Number. 8 Squadron. He transferred to Number.
100 Squadron in 1927 flying Hawker Horsley aircraft. He served in the Second World War taking up command of Number.
115 Squadron in late 1939 and then joining the Air Staff at Headquarters Bomber Command before becoming Station Commander at Royal Air Force Watton.
He was appointed Director of Policy (General) at the Air Ministry in September 1943 and Air Officer Commanding Balkan Air Force in February 1945. After the War he was appointed Director of Plans at the Air Ministry in 1946, Air Officer Commanding Number. 1 Group in 1949 and Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Malaya in 1952.
He went on to be Air Officer Commander-in-Chief Bomber Command in April 1953, Commander Allied Air Forces Central Europe in January 1956 and Chairman of the British Joint Services Mission to Washington, District of Columbia and United Kingdom Representative on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Standing Group in July 1959.
He retired from the Royal Air Force on 18 September 1962. In retirement he served as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod in the Houses of Parliament.
Distinguished Flying Cross (Distinguished Flying Cross) – 31 May 1940 Companion of the Order of the Bath (Central Bank) – 14 June 1945 Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath) – 1 January 1954 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath) – 1 January 1959.
