Major James Lawson MITCHELL , RFA , killed in action 16th march 1916

[patrick anderson]

I am interested in  the  PITLOCHRY  born  MAJOR   James  Lawson  MITCHELL  , of the  Royal  Field  Artillery who it seems left the Perthshire town in  Scotland in 1901 to join the Army in the  RFA  coming out of   Royal Military  College ,  Woolwich in London   His father was a Lawyer in  the small town of Pitlochry Perthshire.  He is listed in the  DE  RUVIGNYS  ROLL OF HONOUR   book . He served 8 years in India and then  to war in  France in  1914 and seems in 1915 he won his  Flying Wings  with the  RFC but stayed in the  Artillery as he was given control of gun fire at the battle of  LA HOOGE and in July  1915 given the control of 112th Battery and was killed in action at  Ypres  on  16th March  1916 .and buried in a war grave in  Belgium.

He is on the war memorial at Pitlochry (main street ) and on the Pitlochry Parish Church and on the war memoriial  of  Ardvreck  School in  Crieff , Pethshire  and maybe on   Fettes college  war memorial in  Edinburgh if any one has a  Fettes  College roll of honour for WW1 .

I am interested in any  newspaper reports re   Major  Mitchell's service and death and if any one has a roll of honour for  Fettes  College  Edinburgh recording Major  Mitchell as a casualty of the war .

Any information would be great as i dont have access to newspaper reports

kind regards  patrick w anderson

[jonbem]

there seems to be a photo here

Life story: James Lawson Mitchell | Lives of the First World War (iwm.org.uk)

and a woman who tends his grave 

Belgian teacher keeps memory of Scots soldier alive | The Church of Scotland

[Gunner 87]

4 hours ago, patrick anderson said:

I am interested in  the  PITLOCHRY  born  MAJOR   James  Lawson  MITCHELL  , of the  Royal  Field  Artillery who it seems left the Perthshire town in  Scotland in 1901 to join the Army in the  RFA  coming out of   Royal Military  College ,  Woolwich in London   His father was a Lawyer in  the small town of Pitlochry Perthshire.  He is listed in the  DE  RUVIGNYS  ROLL OF HONOUR   book . He served 8 years in India and then  to war in  France in  1914 and seems in 1915 he won his  Flying Wings  with the  RFC but stayed in the  Artillery as he was given control of gun fire at the battle of  LA HOOGE and in July  1915 given the control of 112th Battery and was killed in action at  Ypres  on  16th March  1916 .and buried in a war grave in  Belgium.

He is on the war memorial at Pitlochry (main street ) and on the Pitlochry Parish Church and on the war memoriial  of  Ardvreck  School in  Crieff , Pethshire  and maybe on   Fettes college  war memorial in  Edinburgh if any one has a  Fettes  College roll of honour for WW1 .

I am interested in any  newspaper reports re   Major  Mitchell's service and death and if any one has a roll of honour for  Fettes  College  Edinburgh recording Major  Mitchell as a casualty of the war .

Any information would be great as i dont have access to newspaper reports

kind regards  patrick w anderson

Hi Patrick.

This article is from the 'Oban Times' Saturday, April 15, 1916. 

regards

Gunner

Image courtesy of Find My Past Newspapers.

 

Edited 15 January by Gunner 87

[Gunner 87]

Find My Past Newspapers has a number of articles relating to James. This is a small piece from 'The Scotsman' dated Tuesday, November 7, 1916 relating to the memorial in Pitlochry Parish Church. 

 

 

[Gunner 87]

and lastly, this maybe of interest. 'The Evening Telegraph' Thursday, November 8, 1903.

courtesy of Find My Past

 

[charlie962]

10 hours ago, patrick anderson said:

seems in 1915 he won his  Flying Wings  with the  RFC

Note that the press clipping says he qualified as an observer not a pilot.

A brief note here shows he was attached to the RFC from 111 Battery RFA and returned to the Battery 14/3/15.

https://www.casualtyforms.org/form/16431

Charlie

Edited 15 January by charlie962

[patrick anderson]

thank you Jobbem, Gunner  87 and Charlie 962 for your excellent info .

do you think Major  Mitchell would be in action in the battles just prior to his death in action  as  the newspapers dont give much info on his actions  .

thank you all for your kindness

pat w anderson

[charlie962]

War Diary 24th Brigade RFA.

16/3/16. Enemy's artillery very active all day. Roads etc being constantly shelled with shrapnel. In the morning 200 rounds of HE were fired at 112 Battery from a 5.9 Howitzer and 50 more rounds were fired in the afternoon. Capt JL Mitchell 112Bty killed in action, 9049 Gunner Duxbury 112Bty wounded in action since died. 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43112_1597_0-00349?treeid=&personid=&queryId=c607fdf9-4198-470d-9de5-b0a9ca839a1b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=tLN752&_phstart=successSource&pId=453621

Read back through that Diary. Mitchell was OC the battery at the time of his death. You should see earlier mentions of him moving from 111 to 112 Battery.

[Gunner 87]

This is an image of James...from an article in 'The Perthshire Advertiser' Wednesday, March 22, 1916.

Image courtesy of Find My Past Newspapers.

Edited 17 January by Gunner 87

[patrick anderson]

Charlie 926  - Thank you for your info on the War diary  report for that date  of Major Mitchell's death in action and recording too the  OR who died of wounds that same day  i see  from Blackburn  , Lancs back then ! 

I was really interested to read the war diary and to see that Major  Mitchell had moved from  one battery to the other , 112 Battery

  See  that Major  Mitchell is recorded as Captain  on the day he was KILLED IN ACTION and not Major or temp  Major rank , 

thats great thanks  makes the story even more interesting 

best wishes  pat w anderson

Edited 19 January by patrick anderson

[patrick anderson]

thanks you all for your great help with  Major  James  Lawson  MITCHELL ,   RFA   killed in action 16th March  1916 aged  32 years from  PITOLOCHRY ,  Perthshire  Scotland  and today i received at Communication from the  Trustees of the  Scottish National  War memorial  at the edinburgh castle accepting Major   J L  MITCHELL ,   RFA  to be added to the  roll of honour  for  1914 -1919 war under the  R F A roll .   The roll of honour (paper version  in the SNWM ) will be updated in due course and the roll of honour website too will be added in due course

Thank you to all  who helped me add this name to the roll of honour at the  Edinburgh  Castle .. 

One more  added and so many still not listed .

 

pat w anderson

 

 

[patrick anderson]

the format at the  Scottish National war memorial at the edinburgh castle  on  Major  James  L   Mitchell   RFA

 name not on the website as yet 

pat