MITCHELL, Kenneth George Robert
| Service Number: | 2404 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 24th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Darnum, Victoria, Australia, 29 August 1993 |
| Home Town: | Trafalgar, Baw Baw, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Trafalgar Primary School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Stock Agent |
| Died: | Moe, Victoria, Australia, 13 June 1981, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Cemetery area: Brind Cemetery location: Brind, Section GE, Niche 134 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2404 | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2404, 24th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Osterley embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 29 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2404, 24th Infantry Battalion, RMS Osterley, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Kaye Brill
Kenneth George Robert MITCHELL, son of Charles Bruce Mitchell and Mary Elizabeth Milne was born 29 August 1893 at Darnum, Victoria, Australia.
Kenneth was the eldest of nine children (6 boys and 3 girls)
In 1894, work opportunities for Kenneth's father saw the family move to Raymond Island, East Gippsland. In 1904 the family returned to and established a home at Trafalgar which for many years remained the family residence.
Kenneth died 13 June 1981 age 87 at Moe, Victoria, Australia and was interred at Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Springvale, Victoria.
Kenneth married Isabella May Trickey 8 December 1920 at Trafalgar, Victoria. Isabella, daughter of Robert James Trickey and Barbara Linklater was born 23 August 1895 at Fitzroy South, Victoria and died 19 July 1969 age 73 at Yallourn, Victoria. Isabella is also interred at Springvale Botanical Cemetery.
Children (1): Marshall Lawrence born 1929 Moe; died 1983 Melbourne.
Kenneth was known to family and friends as ‘Ken’.
Ken attended schools at Raymond Island, Yalunga, Yarragon and Trafalgar. Ken finished school at age 14 and worked as a farm labourer at his grandmother Jane Eliza Mitchell’s Yarragon farm and as a labourer working on the construction of the Bairnsdale-Orbost railway line living in a tent with other construction labourers. Ken returned to Trafalgar and was working as a stock agent in 1915 when he enlisted in the Army.
Ken's brothers, Charles James Marshall Mitchell (aka Marshall) and Roy Richard Douglas Mitchell also enlisted in the Army during WW1. Only Ken and Roy returned to Australia; Charles was killed in action.
Both Ken and his younger brother Roy were members of the Australian Imperial Force, 24th Infantry Battalion. Together they embarked 29 September 1915 in Melbourne on RMS Osterley to set sail for Europe.
During WW1 Ken served as a driver in both Belgium and France.
Ken was awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal and Star medal for his service during WW1.
On discharge from the Army, Ken and his younger brother Roy bought soldier settlement blocks at Moe West, Victoria
After Ken’s marriage he bought Roy’s land, built a house and established a Dairy Farm. Both Ken and his son, Marshall, worked the farm until Ken retired at about age 75.
In about 1963, Ken and his wife moved into a new house built by the Victoria Housing Commission (HCV) just along the road from the farm and closer to Moe township. The Narracan Council have since named the dirt road leading past Ken’s new home to his farm ‘Mitchell Road’ in honour of Ken Mitchell.
Ken served as a Shire Councillor for the Narracan Council, Moe, Victoria from 1947 to 1973 and was Shire President on two occasions 1953/1954 and 1964/1965.
Ken served the local Moe community as:
- Director Moe Co-op Dairying Co for 29 years
- Chairman Trafalgar Meadows Drainage Trust for several years
- Chairman of the local Housing Commission Advisory Committee (HVC) and as such officially accepted the 1000th HVC home built in Moe.
- Member Moe Sub-branch R.S.L. and until shortly before his death never missed an Anzac Day march.
He was a Member of the Moe High School Advisory Council
he was a Member of the Moe Race Club, often officiating as Clerk of the Course on race days.
Ken allowed the use of a paddock to the Moe Pony Club and this early assistance helped the club into existence and for this he was awarded Life Membership of the Pony Club. Ken also assisted the Moe Field & Game Club in similar fashion in its early days
Ken was a Life Member of Moe and District Historical Society and was a very well-known and well-respected man in Moe and the wider Narracan Council area.
Ken was kind man and a true gentleman. Ken was much loved by his siblings and their families and a sort of the elder statesman of the family after the deaths of his parents.
Our family visits to Uncle Ken's farm were always fun getting out and about and very dirty in the milking shed and horse paddocks followed by an afternoon tea of scones, jam and cream prepared by his beloved wife 'Belle'.
Written by Kaye (granddaughter of Uncle Ken’s sister Irene Alice Jane Mitchell)
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