Albert Edward Mitchell (1887-1918)
Sunderland grocer served in the DLI died of his wounds in a POW camp and is buried in Cologne
Albert Edward Mitchell, the son of Edward Feltham Mitchell & Elleanor (also known as Ellen) Mitchell nee Candlish was born in Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, on 18 December 1887. He had four brothers (two of whom served in the Durham Light Infantry, DLI) and three sisters and lived in the Sunderland area all his life until he enlisted in the DLI at Cocken Hall on 5 July 1915. On enlistment he had been working as a grocer’s assistant, presumably for his father.
Albert was posted to the 18th (The Pals) Battalion DLI but three weeks later was transferred to the 21st (Reserve) Battalion. After further training he was transferred again, this time to the 15th Battalion, and landed in France on 26 April 1916. He was promoted to acting lance-corporal on 31 August and confirmed in the rank the following month. However, he contracted a fever the later in the month and was sent back to hospital in England. Following his recovery he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, DLI, and in the summer of 1917, after training in South Shields, Durham, went to Strensall, Yorkshire (where he received a 1st class qualification on the 43rd Rifle Course).
On 31 March 1918 Albert was transferred to the 11th Battalion and posted to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and returned to France. A few days later he was transferred to the 1/7th Battalion and was wounded and reported missing on 11 April 1918 at Merville, during the fighting on the River Aisne. He was captured by the enemy and sent to a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp but died of his wounds in the Reserve Hospital at Aachen, Germany on 19 May 1918. He was buried in the Cologne Southern Cemetery.
https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/1024611/698/38792/
https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/34600/cologne-southern-cemetery/
Civil Parish: Bishopwearmouth Without
Birth date: 18-Dec-1887
Death date: 19-May-1918
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 38 Northumberland Street, Bishop Wearmouth, Durham (1891 census)
12 Mulgrave Street (1901 & 1911 censuses and British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920)
Employment: Grocer and general dealer (1911 census)
Grocer’s assistant (British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920)
Family: Father: Edward Feltham Mitchell
Mother: Eleanor “Ellen” Mitchell nee Candlish
Siblings: William Denis, Walter, Elizabeth Fanny Candlish, Margaret Ellen, John Charles (served in 15th DLI and was Killed in Action), Ralph Sanderson (served in 20th DLI) and Agnes Cornelia Mitchell
Military service:
18th (The Pals), 21st, 15th, 3rd, 11th & 1/7th Battalions, Durham Light Infantry
Service no: 18/1651
Private
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Cologne Southern Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Grave Ref: XIII.G.9
DLI 1914-1918 Book of Remembrance, Durham Cathedral
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards