Picture courtesy of Baldwin's
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A sailor by occupation, he enlisted into the KRRC at Dublin on 29 Nov 1889, aged 14 years. Posted as a Boy in 1889 and as a Bandsman in 1895, he served in India, Nov 1890 to Jan 1897, and was present in the relief of Chitral. A Warren Hastings survivor. Served in South Africa, Mar 1899 to Sep 1902 and was MID and awarded the DCM for his services during the defence of Ladysmith. He was then discharged, having given notice, on 20 May 1911. He died in Dec 1943.
DCM Ed VII (LG 17 Sep 01) (L Cpl 1st KRRC);
IGS 1895 (1) RoC (Pte 1st KRRC);
QSA (6) Cape Colony, Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange River Colony, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (5518 Cpl KRRC);
KSA (2) (5518 Cpl KRRC);
Army LS&GC Ed VII (Sgt KRRC).
Full size medals sold at DNW in March 2008 £2,600
Described as:
Distinguished Conduct Medal, EVII, Queen’s South Africa Medal with 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange River Colony, Laing’s Nek, Belfast, India Medal 1895-1902, QVR, 1 clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895, King’s South Africa Medal , 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, EVII, mounted for wear in order as listed, toned very fine. (5)
DCM, The London Gazette 27th September 1901
The King has been graciously pleased for the grant of the Medal for Distinguished Conduct In The Field to the undermentioned Officers and Soldiers in recognition of their services during operations in South Africa.
1st Battalion K.R.R.C
Lance Corporal T.J. Mitchell
("DCM For attending wounded under fire at Ladysmith")
MiD The London Gazette 8th February 1901
1st Battalion K.R.R.C.
5518 Lance-Corporal T.J. Mitchell
James Thompson Mitchell was born to a soldier father in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1875.
Papers show him 6 years in India until 17th Jan 1897 when he leaves for 2 years in Mauritius.
On 20 November 1896, the 1st Bn KRRC, stationed at Jullundur, was ordered to go to Mauritius. The Bn set sail 30 November 1896. They passed through Deolali, and boarded the Warren Hastings in Bombay.
The ship left Bombay 10 December; she was to stop in Cape Town, and continue to Mauritius from there.
After a brief stop for coaling in Seychelles, the ship arrived in Cape Town 28 December.
On 6 January 1897, Warren Hastings departed from Cape Town, bound for Mauritius.
On board were 526 members of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, 510 members of the 2nd York and Lancaster Regiment, and 25 members of the 2nd Middlesex Regiment, including two officers, 20 women, 10 children, and 253 crew members, totalling 1,244 people.
On 13 January, the ship steamed into heavy rain and thick fog.
At 02:20 on 14 January, Warren Hastings struck a rock off the coast of Réunion. At the time of impact, the ship was traveling at a speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph), and had veered 8 miles (13 km) off course.
The wreck itself was caused by the decreased visibility resulting from the foul weather, and by a "magnetic disturbance", which caused the compass to malfunction.
Lt-Col Forestier-Walker went to the bridge and asked the ship’s Captain Holland for orders. The possibility of landing the troops and crew on the rocks was considered, and at 03:25, the Captain sent two officers, Lieutenants Dobbin and Windham, over the bow on ropes to inspect the safety of the rocks, equipped with blue lights.
The Lieutenants determined that the rocks were safe, and Captain Holland ordered the evacuation of the ship to begin at 04:00; the men began climbing down the rope ladders.
Originally, the Captain wanted to keep the women and children on board until daylight, when it would be safer to evacuate them, but the ship started to list severely at 04:20, and it was decided that the evacuation should continue without delay.
The electrical systems on the ship failed at 04:35, after which the evacuation was forced to continue in complete darkness.
Around 05:00, the better swimmers were permitted to jump overboard and swim to shore on their own; the shore was around 30 yards (27 m) away.
A member of the Rifle Corps, Private N. McNamara, strung a line between the ship and the shore, and heavier ropes were subsequently set up.
The remaining men could go down the rope, making the evacuation safer. The ship was completely evacuated by 05:30. Two people died during the evacuation.
He and his wife (Anna Lavinia, nee Wright, born Bombay 1876) died within three days of each other at the end of 1943 in Walthamstow (she at home, he actually at Whipps Cross), but they're not listed as Civilian War Dead by CWGC. Found their grave at Chingford Mount and the cemetery burial register.
There's a note of his death on 2nd Dec 1943 in his papers for pension purposes, but cause of death isn't given where it should be.
1939 Register shows him 'Cadet Major KRRC'.
The bit I can't find is his Cadet Commission which according to Google should be in the LG, sorry.