Trooper William Mitchell, Glasgow

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 05/04/2013 18:10:20

Looking for information on trooper William mitchell from Glasgow. A member of No3 Commando, killed in Sicily, 1943. Last photograph we have is from Gibraltar, March 1943

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 08/03/2010 11:13:08

Here is a link to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) record for Trooper William Mitchell:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2819432

nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 08/03/2010 11:13:16

Thank you so much for that Nick.
Carole

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 08/03/2010 11:13:27

Hi Carole,

roquark wrote:Thank you so much for that Nick.
Carole

No problem at all and welcome to the CVA.
Presuming that you are a relation of Trooper Mitchell, you can apply to the MoD for his Service Record. For a small fee (£30) you should receive a number of forms relating to his service from his Attestation to, sadly, when he was Killed in Action.

please see the link below:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/179.page

Also if you browse our Gallery, which is administered by Pete Rogers, you will see an excellent album for No3. Who knows, you may even find a picture of him already in there.

We would welcome any photo(s) of Trooper Mitchell should you wish to reunite him with his friends and colleagues in No3 and to celebrate his life in the Commandos.

Nick

Hi Nick,
thanks for that info. I am indeed a relation - his niece, unfortunately I never knew him as he was killed in action before I was born. I do have one photo of him, which I will try to figure out how to scan and post to the photo gallery.
Thank you again for your welcome and your help.
Carole Mitchell

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 23/09/2014 22:20:58

Hi Carole

If you have any problems, or it would be easier for you, scan the photo and send it to me at my email address
I will then upload it for you and attach the details of his Commonwealth War Graves Certificate. (It's actually quite a coincidence as I see his parents were from Thornliebank. I am at present trying to trace relatives of another Commando who came from there.)

I am not sure how much you know about the action in which your uncle was killed. He died along with many others from No. 3 Commando during their attack at Agnone, Sicily. Their objective was to land on the coast there and capture a bridge called Punta dei Malati which was about 5 miles inland.

Regards

Pete Rogers

Hi Carole,
Your uncle is also listed in a No3 Cdo Roll of Honour [Agnone & '3 Commando Bridge' action, Sicily] in the book:
"Commando, Memoirs of a fighting Commando in World War Two", by Brigadier John Durnford-Slater, published by Greenhill Books.

nick

thanks Nick, I ordered it from Amazon as soon as i saw your post :)

I wasn't sure what had happened on Sicily, but i know my father always blamed the Americans - I remember him saying that the commandos were supposed to be dropped on the beach, but the USAF wouldn't fly over land for fear of anti aircraft guns so they dropped them in the sea and left them sitting ducks to get picked off as they came out the water. I don't know how accurate that is, of course.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 08/03/2010 23:01:26

roquark wrote:

I wasn't sure what had happened on Sicily, but i know my father always blamed the Americans - I remember him saying that the commandos were supposed to be dropped on the beach, but the USAF wouldn't fly over land for fear of anti aircraft guns so they dropped them in the sea and left them sitting ducks to get picked off as they came out the water. I don't know how accurate that is, of course.

hi Carole,
Just for background info, John Durnford-Slater was, as a Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col), the Commanding officer of No3 Commando during the Sicily Operation. He describes the operation briefly in his book; however, there are other accounts of the action:
"Storm from the Sea" by Brigadier Peter Young - a Major in No3 under Durnford-Slater - goes into greater depth.

For this operation, No3 Commando was in the 8th Army, under command of General Dempsey's XIII Corps. The Commando went into Agnone about 350 strong.
Of these five officers and twenty three other ranks were killed, four officers and sixty two other ranks were injured, while eight officers and fifty one other ranks were missing - mostly prisoners of war.

General Montgomery (Monty) gave orders that a stone bearing the words "3 Commando Bridge" should be let into the masonary of the Punta dei Malita bridge and it is on record that Gen Dempsey said: The men of No3 are the finest body of soldiers I have seen anywhere".

You can be very proud of your uncle.

Nick

Carole,
I think you may be interested in this article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/78/a4496178.shtml

Nick