MITCHELL William Heading

The inscription on the memorial reads:
In loving memory of William Heading Mitchell
Rector of Salwarpe 1935 – 1943, temporary
chaplain, R.N.V.R. HMS Charybdis, who
gave his life for God and his Country
23es Oct. 1943, and was buried on the
Ile de Brehat, Brittany, 22nd Nov. 1943
Requiescat in Pace

HMS Charybdis was and anti-aircraft cruiser. On 20th October 1943 she was assigned to Operation Tunnel, a British Operation aimed at intercepting and sinking enemy ships attempting to get through the Channel. The British force consisting of Charybdis and a number of destroyers sailed from Plymouth at 19.00 hours on 22nd October 1943. In the early hours of 23rd October whilst of the coast of Brittany Charybdis was hit by two torpedoes ten minutes apart. She sank at around 02.30 with the loss of 460 men, 107 of her crew were saved. HMS Limbourne was also sunk during the same action.

The following report appears in Berrow’s Worcester Journal, Saturday 30th October 1943:
Chaplain and Gunner Missing from Cruiser
The Rev. W. Heading Mitchell, chaplain, R.N.V.R., and Rector of Salwarpe, and Able Seaman Alfred James Priddey, of 9, Winnetta Lane, Droitwich, are missing following the sinking of the Charybdis in a naval action in the Channel in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Charybdis, a light cruiser, exploded and sank after being torpedoed, and Limbourne, a destroyer, was so badly damaged that she had to be sunk by our own forces in a ten minute battle with German E-boats in a Channel fog. They were making an offensive sweep off the French coast between Ushant and the Channel Islands. Charybdis was hit by four torpedoes, fire broke out and spread to an ammunition chamber. The cruiser listed heavily, with her stern under water, before sinking.
Mrs Mitchell at first received a telegram from the Admiralty stating that her husband was “missing, feared killed.” Her hope was renewed when on Tuesday a second telegram arrived from the Admiralty suggested that though he was missing he might have been picked up by the enemy.
A German news agency report on Sunday stated that survivors from a British cruiser sunk had landed in Brittany, but it is not yet known who these are.
Charybdis was one of the earliest vessels to arrive for the Allied landings at Salerno, Italy.
Mr Mitchell has been Rector of Salwarpe since June, 1935, and has won high regard in the parish. After the Munich crisis he volunteered as a naval chaplain in the event of war. Before going to Salwarpe he held a curacy at Burton-on-Trent.
The report includes a photograph of Rev. W.H. Mitchell.

In 1970 William’s mother Muriel was visiting Worcester. During her stay she visited Worcester Cathedral and found that her son’s name had not been included in 1939-1945 Roll of Honour resulting in her writing to Colonel Ricketts at Norton Barracks, Worcestershire. Several letters were then exchanged between Muriel and other officials. Copies of these letters can be found in Worcestershire Archives.