27 November 1916 : Pte Joshua J Mitchell

Joshua J Mitchell was born in Ossett 24 December 1895

Ossett in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Northern England (cc OpenStreetMap)

Joshua was the youngest son of four surviving children. His father Arthur Mitchell was a rag trader, his mother was Susannah (née Tolson).

Holy Trinity Church and Church Street (c) Ossett Pictures

He had two older brothers George (by 10 years) and Bernard. At the 1911 Census Joshua was at home and attending school, while George was a warehouse manager and Bernard was a plumber. They lived on Church Street, Ossett. 

Royal Engineers at work

Joshua enlisted in Dewsbury, joining the Corps of Royal Engineers, Service No. 145053. He embarked for France in June 1916. It is most likely that he was wounded during the final stages of the Battle of the Somme, the local paper reporting that he received his wounds on 4 November when he was approaching his 21st birthday. He was evacuated back to Blighty. 

145053 Sapper Joshua J Mitchell Royal Engineers, Training Centre (Newark)

27 November 1916 died of his wounds at St.Luke’s Hospital, Halifax.

Sources: Ossett.net; 1901, 1911 English Census; Find A Grave Index; UK, Army Soldiers Effects. England Births and Deaths; Ossett Pictures

(C) Wilson, Ashby and Howe, June 2014 Osset.net (Permission given to reproduce here)