Lance Serjeant Charles Napier Mitchell (MM and Bar)

• Age: 23
• From: Seaforth, Liverpool
• Regiment: 13th KLR
• Died on Wednesday 21st August 1918
• Commemorated at: Warry Copse Cem Courcelles-le-compte
  Panel Ref: A.27

Charles Napier Mitchell was born in Seaforth in 1895, the fourth of eleven children of Thomas Mitchell and his wife Arabella Pascoe (née Poole) who were married on the 24th June 1888 at St Nicholas' Church, Liverpool. Thomas was a 21 year old labourer of 29 Athol Street, father James a labourer, whilst Arabella was aged 20, same address, father James Napier a deceased mariner. Charles was baptised at St Thomas' Church, Seaforth on 01st June 1895. All of his siblings were born in Seaforth: Margaret, Thomas, Maud, James, Florence, Edith, Robert, William, Frederick, Harold. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 14 Henley Street, Seaforth. His father, Thomas, is aged 33, is employed as a railway signalman, born in Liverpool, mother Arabella is aged 31, born in Liverpool. They have three children in the household; Thomas 10, Maud 7 and Charles 5. The have a boarder Henry Moore, 19, a coal merchant. 
 
By 1911 the family are living at 2 Church Road, Seaforth. His father, Thomas, is aged 43, is now a self employed coal dealer, his mother, Arabella, is aged 41. They have been  married for 22 years, and have had 10 children, 7 of whom have survived. All seven surviving children are in the household; Thomas 20, a railway porter, Maud 18, Charles 15, an assistant coal dealer, Edith 8, Robert 5, William 3, and Frederick 1. Also present are Aunt Mary Korp, aged 64, and boarder Albert Dibble, aged 25.  

Charles attested in Liverpool on 12th November 1914 joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 21764, declaring his age as 19 years and 5 months and his occupation as a railway porter. He was described as being 5'4 and three quarters, weighed 122lbs, with a 34” chest, a fresh complexion, had grey eyes and black hair. He stated his religion as  Church of England and as his next of kin as his father Thomas, of 36 Caradoc Road, Seaforth. 

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Charles was wounded in the fateful action of the 30th July 1916 when the Liverpool Pals attacked the village of Guillemont suffering grievous losses of close to 500 men killed on that day. He suffered a serious Gunshot wound to his left hand. His service papers show that he was transferred to hospital at Rouen before returning to the UK. He was hospitalised for 74 days. 

Upon his return to duty he arrived at Etaples and was posted to the 1st Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment before being transferred to the 13th Battalion of the same Regiment.

He suffered further injury in 1917 when he was wounded by a gunshot to his face. He was rewarded for his bravery with the award of the Military Medal and this was subsequently added to with the second award, this seeing a Bar added to his original award. Both awards were gazetted posthumously the MM on 29th August 1918 and the Bar on 07th October 1918. Charles earned a series of promotions form Lance Corporal to Corporal and finally to Lance Serjeant.

Charles was killed in action on 21st August 1918, aged 23. This was during what is now referred to as the final 100 days of the war when the Allies pushed the Germans further and further back out of territory previously held for years.

The Battalion War Diary for August 1918 records -

Part of the 9th Brigade 3rd Army advance on Bapaume August 21st – 24th

20th August – Bivouacked at Hannescamp. At 11 p.m. the battalion moved to assembly positions. Intermittent shelling of assembly area.

21st August – At Zero Hour 4:55 a.m. the battalion moved forward in a thick mist exacerbated by smoke cloud to cover tanks. Direction was extremely difficult. The troops never hesitated even though nothing could be seen of their objective or of the troops on their flanks. Several strong points were encountered, but were outflanked with Lewis Gun and rifle fire. ‘C’ Company on the right had no tank assisting but advanced in short rushes on the machine guns. Enemy heavy artillery was active throughout the day. The men suffered heavy casualties from exposure of the right flank.

Total casualties during the operation – 3 Officers Killed, including 2nd Lt. J.B. Friend, 263 Other Ranks. Of those other ranks were  Arthur Cottrell, Charles Napier Mitchell, Henry Pemberton, Andrew Pinder,  Herbert Cunningham Wands, William Watson and Robert Tudwal Williams who were all former Liverpool Pals. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 21 September 1918; 

Official news has been received by his parents who reside at 36 Caradoc Road, Seaforth, of the death of their son, Sergt. Charles N. Mitchell, K.L.R., who was killed in action on August 21st. At the outbreak of war he was an employee of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. He joined the “Pals” on November 12, 1914 and left for France in November 1915. He had been three times wounded, and was awarded the military medal and bar for bravery on the field. A letter was received from his officer says: “He had endeared himself to us all by his cheerful ways and kindly disposition, and he was all a soldier should be - ‘He was one of the best.’ ” 

Charles now rests at Warry Copse Cemetery in France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN"

The village of Courcelles-le-Comte was taken by the 3rd Division on 21 August 1918 and Warry Copse Cemetery was made by the 3rd Division Burial Officer at the end of the month. The cemetery contains 40 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, two of which are unidentified.

Charles earned his three medals. Army effects, Army Pay of £8 2s 9d and a War Gratuity of £23 to father Thomas, Pension to mother Arabella. 

Charles's death was sadly not the only tragedy to befall the Mitchell family in 1918. The family headstone at Bootle Cemetery shows unimaginable pain for Thomas and Arabella as they lost three sons following the devastating news of Charles being killed in action. On 20th October 1918 William Henry died aged 11. On 22nd October 1918 Robert Christian died aged 12 and a half years. Then on 02nd January 1919 Frederick died aged 9. This tragic loss of life is expressed by their parents with the epitaph written below the names of these three young boys:

"ONE DAY WE SHALL UNDERSTAND".

It is most likely that the boys fell victim to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. 

On the 1921 Census at Caradoc Road his father, Thomas, is aged 53, a labourer in a rubber factory, his mother, Arabella, is aged 52, Edith is 18 and Harold 8. 

His mother died, aged 66, in 1935, and his father, aged 60, in 1928. 

A footnote to how the family contributed to the war effort is displayed when Charles's father Thomas enlisted into the Army Service Corps on 09th August 1918, aged 50. This was just days before Charles was killed.

We currently have no further information on Charles Napier Mitchell, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.