Joshua Mitchell died of wounds on this day in 1916
Joshua Mitchell was born in Ossett 24 December 1895, the youngest son of four surviving children. His father Arthur Mitchell was a rag trader, his mother was Susannah (née Tolson). He had two older brothers George 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. He was a regular attender at Holy Trinity Church Parish Church.
Joshua enlisted in Dewsbury, joining the Royal Engineers, Service No. 145053. Prior to his enlistment he had been working as a plumber for his brother. 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 to the Halifax War Hospital. It was reported in the local press that:
"Sapper Mitchell was admitted to hospital with a severe wound in the side of his head, his skull being fractured. Today fortnight he was brought to St. Luke's Hospital, Halifax, where his relatives have visited him. Though his condition has been critical from the first, he has at times been able to converse with his visitors. On Saturday his parents received a telegram, stating that the young soldier's condition was worse. His strength gradually failed and he died on Monday evening".
He was buried in St. John's Methodist Chapelyard in Ossett. The local newspaper reported on his funeral thus:
"The funeral took place yesterday (Friday) afternoon with full military honours, at the Wesleyan burial ground, South Ossett. It was preceded by a service at Holy Trinity Parish Church, the Revs. R.E. Burlingham, vicar, and C.E. Salisbury officiating. A large number of persons witnessed the funeral. The funeral cortege comprised, besides relatives, about sixty soldiers from the military depot at Pontefract, including a firing party and a brass and reed band. On the way from the deceased's home to church, and afterwards to the burial ground, the band played appropriate music. At the conclusion of the burial service at the graveside the soldiers fired three volleys over the grave, and a bugler sounded the 'Last Post', the highest tribute to a departed soldier."
145053 Sapper Joshua J Mitchell Royal Engineers, Training Centre (Newark)