Sjt
Joseph William Mighall

Information about birth

Year of birth:
1884
Place of birth:
Thornton Heath, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

General information

Last known residence:
Birtle, Bury, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Profession:
Piano repairer
Religion:
Church of England

Army information

Country:
England, United Kingdom
Force:
British Expeditionary Force
Rank:
Serjeant
Service number:
200545
Enlistment place:
Bury, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Units:
 —  Lancashire Fusiliers, 1/5th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Information about death

Date of death:
06/09/1917
Place of death:
Beck House, Zonnebeke, Belgium
Cause of death:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Age:
33

Cemetery

Tyne Cot Cemetery
Plot: XIII
Row: B
Grave: 34

Points of interest 4

#1 Place of birth
#2 Last known residence
#3 Enlistment place
#4 Place of death (approximate)

My story

Joseph William Mighall was the son of Joseph William and Elizabeth Mighall. He was born around 1884 in Thornton Heath, Surrey. Before the war, he lived in Birtle, near Bury, Lancashire, and worked as a piano tuner. Joseph enlisted in the British Army and served in the 1/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (125th Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division).

Joseph was killed on 6 September 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele. At that time, the battalion was in the reserve lines near Borry Farm, west of Zonnebeke. Two companies arrived around midnight in the assembly trench awaiting the start of the attack. At 7:15 a.m., heavy shelling began on Borry Farm, after which the two companies attacked the position. At the same time, Beck House, Iberian, and Hill 35 were attacked by neighboring troops. Throughout the day, brief skirmishes occurred, and there was machine-gun fire, among other places from Vampir. The advance stalled after 150 yards, followed by heavy counterattacks at 10:45 a.m., 7:30 p.m., and 11:10 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., the left flank of the 1/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers had to fall back to its original line. The right flank was able to hold and consolidated their positions, located between Frost House and Vampir.

Joseph died at the age of 33. After the war, his body was found near Beck House. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.

Sources 4

1/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers war dairy (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95 95/2654/2).
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Sources used
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14).
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Sources used
McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), p.72-73.
Sources used
Surrey, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1937.
https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/
Sources used

More information 3