George Allan Mitchell
Private, London Scottish
- Register No.
- 877 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- London Scottish (register: Gordon Highlanders) all Gordon Highlanders VCs →
- Date of action
- 23–24 January 1944 on this day → all of 1944 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 10th August 1944 on this day → all of 1944 →
- Born
- 30th August, 1911 at Highgate, London
- Died
- in action on 24th January 1944 at Damiano Ridge, Italy
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at Minturno War Cemetery, Italy, and at George Mitchell School*, Walthamstow, London
Digest of citation
On the night of the 23rd and 24th January, 1944, during the advance, some enemy machine guns caused a delay in the momentum. The platoon commander, who almost immediately after was killed,ordered a section to carry out a right flanking movement. During the advance they were met by heavy machine-gun fire at point-blank range. Private Mitchell, a mortar-man, immediately dropped his Mortar, seized a rifle and bayonet and charged, single-handed, up the hill towards the machine-gun, all the time under extremely heavy fire from Spandau Maxims. Reaching the gun without injury, he immediately jumped into the gun-pit shooting one, and bayoneting the other member of the two-man crew. The platoon was now able to continue its advance. It wasn't long before they were held up again by fire from two well established positions of the enemy. Private Mitchell again rushed forward,firing his rifle from the hip, seemingly oblivious of the enemy fire. Followed by the rest of his section, they were able to capture the strong-point, killing six Germans and taking 12 prisoners. As they were reorganising, another machine gun fired at them. Rushing forward alone once more, he killed the crew with his rifle and bayonet. The section then came under heavy fire from small-arms and grenades from above. Private Mitchell called on the men for a further effort and he led them in an assault up a steep hillside covered with rocks. He was the first to reach the post and was the main reason that the enemy surrendered. Unfortunately, minuted later, Private Mitchell was shot through the head by one of the Germans who had just surrendered.|This man was shot by one of Mitchell's comrades
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
MITCHELL. George Allan. (reg No. 877).
Private. London Scottish.* London Gazetted on 10th August 1944.
Born on 30th August, 1911 at Highgate, London.
Killed in action on 24th January 1944 at Damiano Ridge, Italy.
Memorial on grave at Minturno War Cemetery, Italy, and at George Mitchell School*, Walthamstow, London.
Digest of Citation reads: On the night of the 23rd and 24th January, 1944, during the advance, some enemy machine guns caused a delay in the momentum. The platoon commander, who almost immediately after was killed,ordered a section to carry out a right flanking movement. During the advance they were met by heavy machine-gun fire at point-blank range. Private Mitchell, a mortar-man, immediately dropped his Mortar, seized a rifle and bayonet and charged, single-handed, up the hill towards the machine-gun, all the time under extremely heavy fire from Spandau Maxims. Reaching the gun without injury, he immediately jumped into the gun-pit shooting one, and bayoneting the other member of the two-man crew. The platoon was now able to continue its advance. It wasn't long before they were held up again by fire from two well established positions of the enemy. Private Mitchell again rushed forward,firing his rifle from the hip, seemingly oblivious of the enemy fire. Followed by the rest of his section, they were able to capture the strong-point, killing six Germans and taking 12 prisoners. As they were reorganising, another machine gun fired at them. Rushing forward alone once more, he killed the crew with his rifle and bayonet. The section then came under heavy fire from small-arms and grenades from above. Private Mitchell called on the men for a further effort and he led them in an assault up a steep hillside covered with rocks. He was the first to reach the post and was the main reason that the enemy surrendered. Unfortunately, minuted later, Private Mitchell was shot through the head by one of the Germans who had just surrendered.|This man was shot by one of Mitchell's comrades * Gordon Highlanders.
* This school was named after him.
* Gordon Highlanders.
* This school was named after him.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Minturno War Cemetery, Italy, and at George Mitchell School*, Walthamstow, London
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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