MITCHELL Bert

Resident and enlisted Worcester.

I have been unable to identify where Bert Mitchell was born and the family do not appear to have been resident in Worcester on any census. His medal card provides minimal information with no dates or contact details. However, the following report appears in the Worcester Daily Times of Tuesday March 14th 1916:
Mr C Mitchell of 114 Astwood Rd, Worcester, Post Office Inspector of Telephones has received news of the death of his son, Pte Bert Mitchell, a member of the 8th Battalion Worcesterahire Regt. His Commanding Officer, Col Peake, writing to Mr Mitchell says:-
“I very much regret to inform you that your son, Pte B. Mitchell, of this battalion was killed on the evening of the 6th inst. He was on sentry in the front line trenches and was hit on the head by a bullet, so death was instantaneous. He was buried on the night of the 7th, in our military cemetery, immediately behind our portion of the front line. I very much regret his loss, as he was a good soldier and I deeply sympathise with you.”
The Chaplain of the Regiment, the Rev Frank S Neatfield, has also written to Mr Mitchell saying: “We laid his body to rest last night (in the dark for fear of shells, and amid snow), with the rights of the Church. A letter to me at Christ Church, Oxford, after the war is over, will secure full particulars of the place of the grave. May the Master who has called him to higher service elsewhere give you His own true comfort.”

Deceased’s parents had two letters from him last week. He was 23 years of age last October. Before enlisting he was in the smiths shop at the Vulcan Works. He joined the 8th Battalion last Easter Tuesday, was with the force at Malvern and left Portsmouth on the 2nd of last month; so he had had only a brief experience at the front.

A report in the Kidderminster Times, 5th August 1915 provides the following information:
Private Bert Mitchell was the son of Mr and Mrs C. Mitchell, 114 Astwood Road, Worcester. He was killed while on sentry duty. The report includes a photograph of Bert Mitchell.