On the Arras Memorial, France is the name of Lieutenant James Marshall Mitchell serving with the 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry who died 22nd March 1918.

He was the only son of Rev. Thomas Mitchell who had come to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church from Westmoreland Road Presbyterian Church, Elswick in 1920.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

In Craigton Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, there is a column erected by James and Margaret Marshall in remembrance of their son Willie Miller Marshall and their other children who died in adolescence, it is also their final resting place. On the reverse it reads;

In
Proud & Loving Memory Of
Their Grandson
Lieut. 2nd H.L.I.
Who Fell In Action In France
23rd March 1918, Aged 20 Years

Who Nobly Striving, Nobly Fell

James Marshall Mitchell, affectionately known as Jim, was the only son of Thomas Mitchell and Janet Marshall. 

His father Thomas Mitchell was born at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, May 24th 1863 at 5, Castle Street, Loudoun, Newmills, Ayrshire, Scotland, he was the son of joiner and grocer Archibald Mitchell and Janet Kirkland, both natives of Ayrshire. 

At the age of 17 Thomas was living with his family at Post Office, Loudoun, where he was employed as a telegraphist, however, ten years later he was a student of theology and at the time of his marriage, a Presbyterian Minister. 

He married James’ mother, Margaret Towers Marshall, in the county of Gowan, Scotland, December 22nd 1896. Margaret Towers Marshall was born July 24th 1866 in Alva, Sterling, Scotland, she was the daughter of Cooperative Society manager James Marshall originally of Blackford, Perthshire and Margaret Miller native of Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, Scotland.

James Marshall Mitchell was born at 3:45 p.m., Thursday, January 16th 1898 at The Manse, Cowdenbeath, Fife, his only sister Janet Kirkland Mitchell, known as Jenny, February 8th 1900, The Mitchell family were still living in Cowdenbeath in 1901 but Thomas Mitchell and family had transferred to 8, Lynwood Avenue, Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne by 1911 where he was Minister of Westmoreland Road, Presbyterian Church. 

In the census of 1911 Thomas and his daughter Jenny (11) are listed at the aforementioned address, in the household was also visiting Presbyterian Missionary to China, John Steele and a domestic servant, Elizabeth Russell (28). In a separate 1911 census his wife Margaret and James (13) are listed as visitors in a house in Ripley, Leeds, the document was completed by Margaret T. Mitchell.

During his formative years James was educated at Grove Academy, a secondary school at Claypotts Road, Dundee, previously known as Mr. Swan’s Grove Seminary.

When war was declared with Germany, August 4th 1914, James was 17 years of age. He departed to the front in France, February 5th 1917 as Lieutenant James Marshall Mitchell an officer in the Intelligence Corps attached to the 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry. 

It was not until the commencement of WW1 that the Intelligence Corps took up the task of military matters and field intelligence, gathering information through mapping, prisoner interrogation, aerial photographs and wireless tapping. The first operations saw the members of the Intelligence Corps, initially made up only of officers, ride motor-cycles out onto the deserted battlefield, into deserted trenches and areas where the enemy was suspected to have been.

Lieutenant James Marshall Mitchell was killed by a sniper’s bullet, March 23rd 1918, during the 1st Battle of Bapaume, March 21st-April 5th 1918. His sacrifice is recorded as on of the 34,808 names inscribed on the Arras Memorial which stands within Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France, commemorating servicemen from Great Britain, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the sector between the spring of 1916 and August 7th 1918, who have no known grave. Lieutenant James Marshall Mitchell was 20 years of age and single. 

All monies due to him from the Army were assigned to his family, his personal effects in the sum of £59 8 shillings 6 pence to his father Thomas Mitchell, July 12th 1918. His awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal were received during the 1920’s by which time his father was Minister of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Blackhill, Consett, County Durham.

Lieutenant  J. M. Mitchell is remembered on a family monument within Craigton Cemetery, Glasgow and Newmills Cemetery, Ayrshire, Scotland also in the Roll of Honour of the Highland Light Infantry, Scottish National War Memorial, within the walls of Edinburgh Castle, Scotland and as an ex-alumni on the Roll of Honour, Grove Academy, Aberdeen. A bronze plaque, originally affixed to the exterior wall of the school in 2010, after the school moved into new premises, was restored, unveiled and rededicated, Wednesday, June 12th 2019 and is now in situ in the assembly hall. It should be noted the date of death for Lieutenant J. M. Mitchell differs between March 22nd and March 23rd 1918.

In 1939 James’ parents were living at, “Ashlea,” Rycroft Way, Wooler, Northumberland,   also in the household were 2 ladies of means, Mary J. Beverage and Elizabeth M. Hay, both in their early 70s. Thomas Mitchell had retired from the church, still registered at the aforementioned address, he died April 3rd 1953, aged 89-years, effects in the sum of £876 6 shillings and 2 pence to his widowed daughter, Janet Kirkland Park, July 7th 1953. Thomas’ widow Margaret Tower Mitchell nee Marshall, also of the aforementioned address, died aged 90-years, May 13th 1957, effects in the sum of £1629 5 shillings and 10 pence to her widowed daughter Janet Kirkland Park, August 14th 1957.

Thomas and Margaret’s only daughter, Janet Kirkland Mitchell had married in 1929, district of Lanchester, County Durham. to Alexander Russell Park, born May 25th 1897 at Blackhill, Consett, County Durham. He was the son of assistant secretary at the iron works, Robert Park, native of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland and Ann Wilson Russell, known as Annie, of Consett, County Durham. Their only child Alistair Robert Mitchell Park was born in Hitching, on the boundaries of Herefordshire and Bedfordshire in 1940 whilst they were living at 76, Broadwater Avenue Letchworth, Herefordshire, where Alexander was employed as an accounts clerk for a motor and aircraft engineers. 

Alexander Russell Park of the aforementioned address died, November 8th 1946, at The War Memorial Hospital, Hexham, Northumberland, aged 49-years, effects in the sum of £1660 1 shilling and 8 pence to his widow, Janet Kirkland Park. Janet did not remarry, she and her son in 1965 occupied a property at Dean Park Crescent, Edinburgh. Janet Kirkland Park nee Mitchell died in Edinburgh in 1999 aged 99 years, out-living her son Alistair Russell Mitchell Park who died in circa 1966.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

James Marshall Mitchell is remembered at Blackhill on B145.10 and at Elswick on E35.37.