Parkwood area
Private. 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) 2nd Bn. Service No: 14096.
Early life:
George was born on 18th December 1890. His parents were George and May Ann Mitchell. George senior was a Mechanic.
He was baptised at the Oakworth Road Mission Hall in Keighley on 20th March 1898 and they were living at 37 Bengal Street at the time.
In the 1901 census the family were shown as mother Mary, children Isabella aged twelve, George aged ten, Elizabeth aged eight, Annie aged five and Jane aged three.
George was 19 when he married Rhoda Hall at St Mary’s Church, Eastwood in Keighley on 3rd July 1910. George was employed as a moulder and was living at Fell Lane whilst Rhoda was a weaver, living at 50, Parkwood Street.
They were living at 9, Brick Street, Parkwood, Keighley in 1911 and had been married 8 months. Their daughter Isabella was 4 months old at the time. George was employed as an iron moulder for a textile machine company.
Their three children were Isabella, born 19th November 1910, William, born 1st March 1912 and Arthur, born 11th May 1914.
War service:
George’s name is listed in Keighley’s Gallant Sons, a list of local volunteers. He was recorded living at 5, Belle Vue Terrace, Parkwood. He enlisted sometime around October, 1914 and went into training with the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. He went overseas on 17th March 1915.
WO-95/1552/1/1 Battalion war diary:
The diary shows that on 21st March 1915 it was a quiet day and that 2nd Lieutenant Crisp joined the battalion with about 50 ‘other ranks’ whilst they were based at Rosental and Lankhof Chateaus. It’s likely that George was one of the 50 other ranks as part of this reinforcement.
The battalion was very heavily shelled at Lankhof Chateau for the next couple of days and they went into trenches at KRUISTRAAT for a short while before becoming Brigade Reserve and at rest camp at OUDERDOM.
In April they went into trenches at D sector, ZILLEBEKE for a few days with some shelling, then into barracks at Ypres where they were still subjected to shelling from the enemy.
On 18th April they were called into trenches to relieve the Royal West Kents and King’s Own Scottish Borderers who had attacked and captured HILL 60 the previous day. They had been having trouble holding the position and after an extremely tough fight with bombing and sniping going on, the West Riding soldiers consolidated the position and were relieved by the Bedfords and East Surreys on the 19th April. They’d also gone without food for a day. Casualties for this period were 6 officers killed, 11 wounded, 29 other ranks killed, 334 wounded and 43 missing show that it was a particularly tough fight and would have been a real challenge for George so soon after his arrival at the front.
The battalion went into reserve at ZEVECOTEN where on 21st April they were congratulated by Brigadier General Robert Wanless O’Gowan, who remarked that “the old Duke of Wellington would, if he saw the regiment now, be as proud of it as he was in his time.”
The next day the battalion was again paraded and were addressed by Field Marshall Sir John French Commander in Chief, who was glowing in his remarks on the fighting spirit of the men of the six battalions who took part in the taking of an extremely important position on the front line.
Between 23rd and 26th April the battalion moved to reserve positions at ZILLEBEK POND and later, HOOGE. Then to St Jean, ZEVECOTEN and later, divisional reserve positions in woods near KRUISSTRAAT.
They were called out of reserves on 4th May to relieve the Devon Regiment at trenches and HILL 60 and at 8.00 am on 5th May the Germans sent over asphyxiating gas causing many casualties, followed by heavy shelling. They held some of their positions though and were reinforced by the Royal West Kents. They were later relieved by the Cheshire Regiment. The gas attack affected nearly all the men and many died from it’s effects.
The battalion moved into huts at OUDERDOM on 6th May.
They moved into huts at ZEVECOTEN where some of the gassed men returned from hospital. The next weeks show much training, particularly in bomb throwing.
on 29th May the battalion moved into trenches in the ST. ELOI sector near DICKEBUSCH to relieve the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
The battalion spent all of June 1915 alternating between the front line trenches at ST ELOI and the reserve huts at DICKEBUSCH. The front lines were subjected to shelling and sniping at all times but there were no major attacks in the month.
They had similar experiences for the first half of July, with sporadic shelling and light casualties in this period.
On 21st July the battalion and 13th Brigade were relieved by the South Lancashire Regiment and 7th Brigade. They moved via RENINGHELST to new billets at BOESCHEPE. The battalion then moved to billets at OUDERDOM and to STEENWOORDE on 22nd July where they stayed in farms. Here they carried out cleaning and training, football competions were held. on 26th July they were part of a brigade parade which was addressed by General Plumer, thanking them for their service with the Second Army and in particular their service in the front line around Ypres.
A mounted gymkhana was held on 29th July. The next day they entrained at GODESWHERVELDE for CORBIE near AMIENS and afte detraining they marched to RIBEMONT sur L’ANCRE for billeting.
In August 1915 the battalion alternated between their RIBEMONT billets and in front line trenches North of BRAY, opposite to MAMETZ. It was a mostly quiet period with no major attacks from either side.
On 1st September they relieved the 1st Battalion Royal West Kents in trenches near CARNOY. They occupied support positions BRONFAY FARM and BILLON WOOD and alternated between support trenches here and their front line trenches North of CARNOY.
In late September they moved by companies to billets at ETINEHEM where they spent the next weeks refitting, cleaning and training. On 30th September they were inspected by General Sir Charles Munro, commanding 3rd Army.
On 1st October the Regiment held a football match versus the Divisional Cyclists, and beat them by six goals to nil.
Accidental death:
Early October saw much digging and working parties after a move to billets at BRAY before entering their trenches North of CARNOY where they had a fairly quiet time. On 16th October two men were killed accidentally by a bomb explosion when attached to the 13th Brigade Bomb thrower battalion.
One of these men was George Mitchell. (The war diary records this as 16th October, but other records show the 15th.)
The other man killed was Private James Thomas Foster aged 37, from Huddersfield. Both men were buried in Carnoy Military Cemetery. George Mitchell is buried in row P, grave 4 and James Foster is buried in row O, grave 4.
Keighley News October 23, 1915 page 7:
Private George Mitchell (25) only son of Mr and Mrs George Mitchell, of 120, Fell Lane, Keighley, has been killed in France. He was a Private in the 2nd West Riding Regiment, and previous to enlistment immediately after war was declared was employed as a moulder by Messrs Prince Smith and Son. He went into the trenches on March 1 last. He was married, and leaves a widow and two children, who reside in the Parkwood district. His father is well known in football circles, having played with the old Keighley Rugby Club at intervals for twenty years, and also played with the Otley Rugby Club when they won the Yorkshire Cup in 1889. The information of Private Mitchell’s death was sent by Private H. Simpson, of the same regiment, his friend, in a letter to Miss E. Mitchell. Writing from France on Saturday, October 16, he says: “It is with deepest regret I write these few lines, knowing what pain it will cause you when you read them. Your brother George passed away yesterday at 2 p.m. His death, along with five other comrades, was caused by a bomb exploding close to them. Knowing him as I did, the news of his death came as a shock to me and I can sympathise with you most sincerely in your sad bereavement. It will perhaps console you a little to know that he did not suffer at the last, death being practically instantaneous… His burial place will be at Carnoix, a small ruined village about half a mile behind the firing line. George, who was always full of sport and life, was very popular, and his death is felt very much by his numerous friends here, all of whom wish me to tender you their deepest sympathy.”
His soldier’s effects record indicated that his outstanding back pay of 10 shillings and 3d was paid to his wife and sole legatee Rhoda on 11th January 1916, with a further war gratuity payment of £3 and 10 shillings on 10th July 1919. Rhoda also received a dependants war pension of 20 shillings and 6d from 1st May 1916 to support herself and their three children: Isabella, William and Arthur.
Rhoda remarried in summer 1918, to Alfred Wildman and it’s likely that her war pension ceased after this as she was now dependant on Alfred. Her children were in receipt of the war pension until their sixteenth birthdays.
They were living at 120 Park Lane in Keighley until 1934 when they moved to 10, Hill Street.
Alfred and Rhoda had a child, Samuel, born on 23rd May 1925. They were still living here in the 1939 register.
Rhoda died in December 1943 aged 54.
Post war:
George’s wife Rhoda as his next of kin would have received his personal effects, plus his medals which were the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, She would also have received a King’s certificate and a Great War Memorial Plaque with his name inscribed. These were usually sent out in 1920 or 1921.
Apart from his name on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone at his grave at Carnoy Military Cemetery, George is remembered locally in Keighley’s Great War roll of honour at Keighley Library.
He is also named on the Worth Methodist Chapel WW1 memorial boards, which are currently in storage with Cliffe Castle Museum.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910.
West Yorkshire, Non-Conformist Records, 1646-1985.
1901 England Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935.
1911 England Census.
Keighley’s Gallant Sons.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
1921 England Census.
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.
WO-95/1552/1/1 Battalion war diary. 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment.
The Keighley News archives held at Keighley library.
1939 Register.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
