Charles MITCHELL

MITCHELL, Charles

Service Number: 3428
Enlisted: 24 January 1916
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 31st Infantry Battalion
Born: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, February 1893
Home Town: Pinkenba, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: 6 March 1957, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane, Qld
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

24 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3428, 31st Infantry Battalion
4 May 1916: Embarked Private, 3428, 31st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Brisbane
4 May 1916: Involvement Private, 3428, 31st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: ''
5 Jan 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 31st Infantry Battalion
5 Jan 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 31st Infantry Battalion
8 May 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 31st Infantry Battalion
8 May 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 31st Infantry Battalion
26 Sep 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 3428, 31st Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood, Sniper bullet right arm, amputated above elbow, result MD
29 Jun 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 3428, 31st Infantry Battalion, MD due to amputation of right arm due to wounding Polygon Wood. Returned to Australian June 1918

Charles Mitchell #3428

When Charles returned from WW1, he only had one arm so finding work would have been difficult. He took a temporary job as a lift operator in the Inns of Court building in Brisbane, Qld. Situated near the Law Courts, this building was full of offices for judges, barristers and other legal people.

He ended up working there for over 30 years, retiring in 1955. He was presented with a timber hall stand, which is a piece of furniture used in the entry of a home to take hats and umbrellas etc. It has a commemorative plaque on it and the hall stand is still with the family today.

He married Violet May Ashby after WW1 and they had one child, a daughter, who married and had two children (both girls), so Charles was also a grandfather. He loved growing roses and had beautiful gardens of them all around his house in Khartoum Street, Gordon Park.

During WW2, his contribution to the war effort was to be an air raid warden, who upon hearing an air raid siren would patrol his immediate neighbourhood making sure residents had their black-out curtains drawn so no light was showing outside. He wore this red and black A.R.P. armband with pride.

(written by his granddaughter Kaye Mobsby 28/3/2023)

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Cpl Charles Mitchell

From Philippe Clerbout, Australia and NZ in WWI

LEST WE FORGET - five Australian soldiers - WW1 - See photo

My grandfather, Charles Mitchell (centre) with his friends from the 31st Battalion, Australian Army - WW1.

Photo taken at Salisbury Plains in England.

Alfred James Bell #3431 (known as Snowie to his mates) enlisted in February 1916 and died on 25 May 1917 in France and is buried at the Grevillers British Cemetery there. His birth record for 14 March 1896, shows is name as Alfred Bell Lawson, son of William Lawson and Annie Maria Bell.

Extract of a letter from Alfred's aunt to the army: "My widowed sister, Mrs. Lawson lost a young son in France recently, his name was Alfred James Bell Lawson, but as he was only 19 years and thought she would prevent his going so young, he enlisted under the name of 'Bell', cutting out his surname. When she had discovered what he had done of course she made no attempt to stop him, but suggested having his name put right but he begged her to leave it as it was as he thought it might be difficult. So he went out and was killed as Private Alfred James Bell, 3431, 7th Reinforcements 31st Battalion. He was wounded severely in the abdomen chest and buttocks on 24th May and died in 29th Casualty Station on the 25th a few hours after he was brought in. We are advised that he is buried in the cemetery immediately behind the station."

Donald McDonald #2384 enlisted in September 1915 and was killed in action, in Belgium in September 1917. He is buried at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Cemetery, Belgium.

Charles Mitchell #3428 (my grandfather) enlisted in January 1916 and was discharged as a Corporal in June 1918 - wounded in the right arm by a sniper in the Battle of Polygon Wood, Belgium 1917 - had his right arm amputated above the elbow.

Clarence Hubert Lyall Pedler #3359 enlisted in January 1916 and was discharged in May 1919.

Robert Victor Falkner #3203 enlisted in February 1916 and was discharged in July 1919.

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