BORN HULL 05/05/1896. SON OF THOMAS JAMES MITCHELL (1855-1901) & HANNAH ELIZABETH BAINES (1857-1901), OF 13 CROMWELL TERRACE, WEST PARADE, HULL (1901 CENSUS). HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS AND SIX SISTERS. AFTER HIS PARENTS DEATH, HE LIVED WITH HIS SISTER, ANNIE, AT 9 JAMES TERRACE, WALCOTT STREET, HULL.
HE JOINED THE ROYAL NAVY ON 24/02/1912. SERVED AS ABLE SEAMAN. LOST AT SEA, ON 18/09/1917, AGED 21. COMMEMORATED ON THE PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL.
HIS BROTHER, PRIVATE, WILFRED MITCHELL, COLDSTREAM GUARDS, WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 15/09/1916. THEIR DEATHS WERE REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 25/09/1917. *
On September 18th, 1917, the British destroyer HMS Contest was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-106 (Hans Hufnagel), in the Western Approaches of the Channel, while assisting the torpedoed steamer City of Lincoln. 35 persons were killed. 60 survivors from HMS Contest were then picked up by the damaged City of Lincoln. Fortunately, U-106 didn’t continue her attack on the freighter and she reached port later.
