Military History of Maurice Henry Mitchell
Maurice Henry Mitchell was born on 4 Jan 1891 to Rosanna & Patrick
Mitchell. At the time of his enlistment on 18 February 1916 he lived at Guy
Street Warwick was single and of Roman Catholic belief and he listed his Mother Rosanna as his next
of kin. He was 24 years of age at the time of embarkation. His rank was Driver and he was assigned to
the Field Artillery Brigade 3, Reinforcement 19 Unit. Regimental Number 26277.
His unit embarked at Sydney per HMAT A47 “Mashobra” on 14 September 1916
They landed at Plymouth on 2 November 1916. Maurice was admitted for 5 days to the Devonport Military Hospital at Plymouth on the day he arrived to be treated for Mumps.
On 5 April 1917 Maurice was marched out from Camp 18 Larkhill (Artillery
Depot) and proceeded overseas to France arriving at the Australian General Base
Depot at Etaples on 11 April 1917. He was assigned to the 6th Army
Field Artillery Brigade.
Maurice was granted leave to UK on 27 July 1918 and re-joined his
battalion on 13 August 1918.
Sadly, he was wounded in action the very next day on 14 August 1918 and
died from his injury, a shrapnel wound to the right side on 15 August
1918. He was treated by 11th
Can Field Ambulance and placed in the 47th CCS (Casuality Clean-up Station) on
15 August 1918.
This injury was inflicted in the battle of Amiens. For further reading on the battle go to the
following link. https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/amiens
Maurice Henry was originally buried in the Dury Hospital Military
Cemetery in France and his remains were exhumed and re-interred with every measure
of care and reverence in Plot 6a, Row C, Grave 2 of Villers Bretonneux Military
Cemetery. The reason for the relocation
of his remains was that visitors to the Dury Hospital Military Cemetery were compelled
to pass through the grounds of a French Lunatic Asylum where the inmates were
at work. Notwithstanding the local authorities sympathised with Australian
representatives and the Commission decided to remove the grave to the nearest
British Cemetery as the only practicable way of overcoming this
difficulty.
The minister officiating his service was Rev. C Bullock.
Notification of items retrieved from the field in a sealed container were:
Notification of items retrieved from the field in a sealed container were:
- 2 discs
- 1 damaged fountain pen
- 1 matchbox cover
- 1 locket
- 1 brooch
- 3 religious medallions
- 1 badge
- 1 coin
- 1 YMCA wallet
- photos
Paying my respects in 2015 to my Great-Uncle who sacrificed everything in the Great War at Villers Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France.
The Last Will & Testament of Maurice Henry Mitchell.
1892 -1932 1891-1918
Maurice, second on the left in the middle row.
Warwick Queensland Australia where Maurice Henry Mitchell is honoured for his service in The Great War.
Every year we would attend Anzac Day to pay tribute to my Mothers Uncle.
So pleased you could visit his grave at Villers Bettoneux. Wish I’d known, I could have visited him too.
ReplyDeleteYes Pauleen It was such an emotional day, to stand at his grave and know he sacrificed so much for us.
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