Pte
Royal Ernest Henry Mitchell
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 26/06/1895 |
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Place of birth: Hopetoun, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Baptist |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 6068 |
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Enlistment date: 28/04/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Ararat, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 39th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Beecham, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXXV Row: B Grave: 11 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Royal (Roy) Ernest Henry Mitchell, a former labourer, was born 26 June 1895 at Hopetoun, Victoria, Australia. He lived there before the war with his parents Ernest and Rosetta Hewitt. On 28 March 1916 he enlisted at Ararat and served as a private in the 39th Battalion Australian Infantry, part of the 10th Australian Brigade, of the 3rd Australian Division.
The 3rd Australian Division joined the British troops in the Battle of Broodseinde, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. On the 4th of October 1917 the 10th Brigade attacked with the 39th Battalion. They were held up by machine-gun fire from pillboxes in the New Zealand Division’s area to their left and the strongpoint at Beecham. These were dealt with by the 40th Battalion Australian Infantry, who were in support. They went on, captured Hamburg Farm, and consolidated the new line.
Royal Ernest Henry Mitchell, aged 21, was killed in action on October 4th, 1917. His remains were recovered after the war. On 30 June 1920 is remains were interred at Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XXXV, row B, grave 11. His 19-year-old younger brother, Robert Daniel Mitchell, was killed in the same area the day before. His remains were recovered on 16 August 1919 and interred at Perth Cemetery (China Wall), plot V, row C, grave 16.
The 3rd Australian Division joined the British troops in the Battle of Broodseinde, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. On the 4th of October 1917 the 10th Brigade attacked with the 39th Battalion. They were held up by machine-gun fire from pillboxes in the New Zealand Division’s area to their left and the strongpoint at Beecham. These were dealt with by the 40th Battalion Australian Infantry, who were in support. They went on, captured Hamburg Farm, and consolidated the new line.
Royal Ernest Henry Mitchell, aged 21, was killed in action on October 4th, 1917. His remains were recovered after the war. On 30 June 1920 is remains were interred at Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XXXV, row B, grave 11. His 19-year-old younger brother, Robert Daniel Mitchell, was killed in the same area the day before. His remains were recovered on 16 August 1919 and interred at Perth Cemetery (China Wall), plot V, row C, grave 16.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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Robert Daniel Mitchell
Brother |
Sources 6
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10th Infantry Brigade (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/10/12). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1347573 Sources used |
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39th Infantry Battalion (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/56/18). https://www.awm.gov.au Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chis. "Passchendaele, The Day-by-Day Account" (Arms&ArmourPress: London, 1995), 98-99, 110. Sources used |
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Personal Pars. (Hopetoun Courier and Mallee Pioneer, 16.11.1917), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120999519 Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463980 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=210783 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=9f2fd08b-f02e-43b2-9eeb-37757b1097cb |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7515834 |