Charles Young Mitchell
The soldier:
Charles (Charlie) Young Mitchell enlisted in to the army in Kingston, Surrey. At the time of enlisting his residence was given as ‘Putney’. He was originally assigned to the 6th East Surrey Regiment and given regimental number 3580. However, he was re-assigned to the 3rd (City of London) Regiment and given number 279345.
Whilst in the army, Charles Young Mitchell was awarded the UK and Commonwealth’s ‘Military Medal’, given to non-commissioned ranks who displayed particular bravery in battle.
He was ‘killed in action’ on the 31st August 1918 whilst a Sergeant attached to the 4th Fusiliers and is buried in I.B.7 H.A.C Cemetery, Ecoust-St Mein, Pas de Calais, France.
Charles name appears on both Snettisham’s memorials alongside his brother Augustus Mitchell who also served and died in the war. Augustus died on the 26th June 1915 so it is most likely Charles enlisted knowing of, or became aware of his brother’s death whilst at war.
Whilst his MM post-nominal appears on the memorial in the village square it does not appear on the plaque in St. Mary’s Church.
The man:
Charles Young Mitchell was born on the 29th October 1888 in Snettisham, Norfolk to James Wilcan (Wilkin) and Susannah Mitchell (nee Mindham) who had married in St. Mary’s Church, Snettisham on the 18th October 1873.
He was baptised in the same church on the 29th March 1891. His father James’ occupation was listed as ‘Gamekeeper’.
Charles had several older siblings who were also all born in Snettisham; Alice (c.1877), Elizabeth (c.1879), Ernest (c.1881), Ethel (c.1883) and Herbert (c.1886).
Following his birth, three other siblings were born; twins Lewis and Harry (c.1890) and Augustus (Gus) on the 4th June 1893.
By the 1901 census most of the family were living on the Fring Road, Snettisham. James was still a ‘Gamekeeper’. Ethel, Charlie (Charles) who was now 12, Lewis, Harry and Augustus were still at home with their mother and an additional young child Hector, who was listed as a ‘Grandson’. By now, Alice, Elizabeth, Ernest and Herbert had left home (Details of their new lives can be found under Augustus Mitchell’s story).
Charles went to Snettisham School (still the village’s primary school) from the 2th June 1895 to the 14th November 1902, along with all his siblings, leaving to ‘go to work.
By the 1911 census, Charlie (Charles) Mitchell of Snettisham, Norfolk had moved to a property in Hall Lane, Bickerstaff, Lancashire where he was listed as a single ‘Gamekeeper’ member of staff, clearly following his father and brothers in to this trade.
In 1916 Charles married Edith Annie Rothwell in Ormskirk, Lancashire. Edith was born and raised in Ormskirk, only 3 miles away from Bickerstaff and was shown living in this area as a domestic servant in the 1911 census at the same time as Charles being there.
This marriage information clearly links Sgt Charlie Young Mitchell MM with Charles Young Mitchell from Snettisham (son of James and Susannah and brother of Augustus Mitchell) as army correspondence regarding ‘soldiers effects’ following Sgt Mitchell’s death shows the sole recipient as his widow ‘Edith A’. There are no records of children in this marriage.
It is highly possible that Charles ‘Putney’ address at enlistment was that of his sister Ethel. She had married Frederick James Palmer and was residing at 83, Fawe Park Road, Putney, in the 1911 census. Putney being only 5 miles from Kingston-upon-Thames, the place of Charles enlistment.
Of note is the fact that Augustus (Gus) Mitchell was also shown living at this address in this census prior to enlisting (Gus being Charles’ younger brother who was killed in 1915).
