During Mills' time in command, he had been a strict disciplinarian, required sailors to wear dress uniforms when going ashore, and over-enforced the division between officers and sailors. Mills also treated both sailors and subordinate officers with contempt: as the only member of the Permanent Navy (as opposed to the Reserve or 'Hostilities Only' recruits), he considered himself superior to all else aboard. The entire ship's company quickly came to dislike him, and any respect for him was further undermined during the air attack at Oro Bay: sailors had witnessed Mills dive for cover when the Japanese planes attacked, forcing the Coxswain to take over and fight. Mills also took to wearing a sling, despite not being wounded.