Herbert Robinson Mitchell was born on the 24th of August 1882 in Bradford, the son of Leonard and Alice, nee Robinson. In 1901 the family lived at 25 Victoria Terrace, Eccleshill and at 18 years of age Herbert was, like his father, working as a stuff warehouseman. Herbert married Margaret Amelia Elizabeth Kirton on the 8th of August 1908 at St John’s Church, Horton. He was 25 years of age, a warehouseman living at 121 Fagley Road. Margaret was 27 years of age living at 106 Fitzgerald Street, Horton and

the daughter of Henry Kirton, a clerk. In 1911 Herbert and Margaret were living in West Bowling at 111 Round Street and Herbert was working as a stuff warehouseman. Margaret was a head cutter in costume manufacturing. Their only child Dorothy was born in Bradford in the early part of 1916.

When Herbert enlisted on the 17th of October 1916 he was living at 41 Intake Road, Fagley and he enlisted as Gunner 191604 in the 21st battery of the 2nd Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery and served on the Western Front. On the 12th of September 1917 Herbert was gassed and also wounded by shell fire and was

taken to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station from where he was transported by hospital ship on the 30th September to hospital in England. On recovery he returned to the Western Front and was killed in action on the first day of the Battles of the Somme 1918 on the 21st March at St Quentin. He was 35 years of age. Herbert is remembered on the Arras Memorial which records the names of 35,492 men who fell in the Battle of Arras from the Spring of 1916 until the 7th of August 1918 and who have no known grave. He left his effects to his widow Margaret and child who received £7.14.9d on the 22nd July 1918 and a War Gratuity of £5.10.0d on the 11th December 1919.

. Researched and written by Jean Britteon, to whom many thanks