Chailey Parish
Magazine first notes John Mitchell serving his King and Country in its March 1915 issue.
In October 1915 it states, Mitchell, Lance-Corporal J, 2/4th Royal Sussex, England and in November 1916 updates this information to report that he is
in France. This latter information
is certainly incorrect as the 2/4th(Cinque Port) Battalion, formed at Horsham in January 1915 remained in England throughout the war until disbanded in November 1917.
It is more likely
that he went overseas in October or November 1916 with the 12th Royal Sussex (a fact noted in Chailey Parish Magazine in January
1917 which also notes his name as J W Mitchell).
John Mitchell
appears to have served throughout the war, his name appearing up to and including the final published roll call in July 1919. The National Archives’ on-line medal information card index notes two army numbers
for him: 2170 and G/16155. The former number would have been his Territorial Force number with the 2/4th Royal Sussex
Regiment, the latter number assigned when he was transferred to the New Army, 12th Battalion.
He is probably
the same John Mitchell who was the fourth eldest child in a family of nine children (eight of them boys). His parents, Charles and Emily Mitchell, were married in 1880 and by the time the 1881 census was taken
they were living at 1 Upper Birchland, Newick. Both were aged 22 with Charles
(born in Lindfield) working as an agricultural labourer. Ten years on, by the
time the 1891 census was taken, Charles and Emily were living at what looks like Plummers Den Cottage No 1 in Lindfield and
had five children: Charles Mitchell (aged nine), Henry J Mitchell (aged eight),
Alfred Thomas Mitchell (aged six), John Mitchell (aged three) and Albert Basil Mitchell (aged eleven months).
By the time the
1901 census was taken the family was still living at the same Lindfield address but there were now more brothers – and
a sister. New arrivals and their ages in 1901 were: Elsie Mitchell (aged seven),
Walter Mitchell (aged five), Wallace Sidney Mitchell (aged four) and Maurice Gilbert Mitchell (aged nine months).
John Mitchell’s
brothers Albert, Alfred, Henry, Wallace (Sidney) and Maurice, also served during the First World War. All of them survived. Their distant relatives, the Plummer brothers were less fortunate.
Albert, Alexander and Owen Plummer all lost their lives.
Sources and Acknowledgements
- 1881 Census of England and Wales
- 1891 Census of England and Wales
- 1901 Census of England and Wales
- England
and Wales, Civil Registration
Index: 1837-1983
- The National Archives:
Medal Index Card
- Chailey Parish Magazine
- www.1914-1918.net
