Charles John Mitchell
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | c1889 |
| Place of Birth | Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Death | 21 Jun 1963, aged 77 |
| Place of Death | Armadale, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 30 years, 4 months |
| Description |
5' 8" (1.73m) tall ; 148 lbs 67.132 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair |
| Occupation | Miner |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | NOK Ravensthorpe, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Brother , Mr George Edwin Mitchell |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 3082 |
| Date of Enlistment | 29 Dec 1919 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 3rd Pioneer Battalion, 6th Reinforcement / 3rd Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 29 Dec 1916 ‒ 3 Mar 1917 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A34 Persic |
| Date of Return | 1 Jun 1919 ‒ 8 Jul 1919 |
| Ship Returned On | SS Somali |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Monument |
Armadale War Memorial (Armadale panel) Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
Electoral Roll entries -1914 labourer in Armadale
War Service
Three weeks after commencing his basic training at Blackboy Hill camp, Charles was allocated to the 19th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. However, a fortnight later he was transferred from them to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 3rd Pioneer Battalion.
Four weeks later they departed for England, and on arrival in England he was sent to the Pioneer Training Battalion at Larkhill to prepare for service in France and Belgium. It was to be another five months before Charles was sent to France.
On arrival in France Charles entered the 3rd Division Base Depot on 26 Aug 1917, and on 3 Sep 1917 he joined the 3rd Pioneer Battalion in the field at Lindenhoek. While Pioneers were part of the Engineering Corp, on many occasions they performed Infantry like roles, and were often immediately behind the attacking units, providing paths for movement and resupply as well as assisting the signals units' communications.
On 12 Dec 1917 Charles was sent to the 1st Anzac Corps school at Aveluy to prepare him for an NCO role, rejoining his unit on 21 Jan 1918. On 6 Jun 1918 Charles presented to the 10th Field Ambulance with influenza. Passed to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station the same day, he was placed aboard the Ambulance Train No. 8 on 11 Jun 1918 and admitted to the 10th General Hospital in Rouen.
On 1 Jul 1918 Charles was invalided to England aboard HMHS Western Australia, where he was admitted to the Northamptonshire War Hospital with influenza, before moving on 19 Jul 1918 to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. On 22 Jul 1918 he was released to No.3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, moving on to the No 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 9 Sep 1918, and then the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill on 24 Oct 1918.
It was late November 1918 (21st) before Charles returned to France, rejoining his unit on 3 Dec 1918. On 14 Apr 1919 he was transferred back to the UK to prepare for his return to Australia.
Discharged 5th Military District 15 Aug 1919
Post War
No records of a marriage found.
Electoral Roll entries - 1925 a settler in Group 82 Peel Estate; 1936 in Seventh road Armadale, a poultry farmer; 1937 - 1958 market gardener in Littlejohn road, Armadale
Notes