First World War & Second World War Husband and Wife Group – Captain John Greig Mitchell, 9th Battalion A.I.F. & Corporal Anne Millar Mitchell, Australian Forces – Scottish-born Couple who both served Australia in Two World Wars, Anne Mitchell identified in a named wartime painting
British War Medal 1914-20 – 718 T-2-CPL. J. G. MITCHELL. 9 BN. A.I.F.
Australia Service Medal – V148371 J. G. MITCHELL
Australia Service Medal – VF346699 A. M. MITCHELL
Medals very fine. Pair and single both officially named as issued.
Captain John Greig Mitchell was born at Thornton, Fife, Scotland, on 16 June 1890, the son of William Mitchell and Mary G. Clark. Before emigrating he worked as a clerk, and by the outbreak of the Great War was resident in Australia. He attested for the Australian Imperial Force at Brisbane, Queensland, on 14 April 1917, aged 26 years and 9 months, giving his birthplace as Fifeshire, Scotland. His papers record that he had previously served and that his next of kin was his sister, Mrs Mary Goodall of Kirkcaldy.
Mitchell served with the 9th Battalion A.I.F., embarking aboard H.M.S. Afrasic and travelling via Alexandria and Taranto before arriving in France during April 1918. He joined the Battalion in the field on 1 May 1918 during the final and most intense phase of the war on the Western Front. The 9th Battalion, part of the famed 3rd Australian Brigade, had already earned a formidable reputation at Gallipoli, Pozieres, Ypres and Passchendaele, and in 1918 took part in the Allied offensives that ultimately broke the German Army.
His service papers record that he was wounded in action on two occasions, first during May 1918 with a gunshot wound to the right thigh, and again on 20 June 1918 near Bucquoy, France. He was evacuated through medical units and hospitals in France and England before eventually recovering. The records also note his transfer between reinforcement and training units and his subsequent return to duty. Mitchell was promoted to Temporary 2nd Corporal before being demobilised in London on 3 November 1919. He went to work in Scotland before returning to Australia.
Remarkably, despite already being in his fifties, Mitchell again volunteered for military service during the Second World War. He re-entered service on 23 July 1942 with the Australian Military Forces and served on continuous full-time war service with Headquarters Southern Command and later Headquarters Victorian Lines of Communication Area. Commissioned during this later service, he rose to the rank of Captain, serving until 14 May 1952, an unusually long period of wartime and post-war service for a man of his age. His Second World War service earned him the Australia Service Medal.
Mitchell had married Annie Millar Graham at St Giles, Edinburgh, on 28 April 1919 whilst still serving with the A.I.F. The marriage certificate records him as a soldier of the 9th Battalion A.I.F., stationed at Warminster Camp, while Annie, born at Thornton, Fife, on 11 November 1889/1900 (records vary slightly), worked as a railway telegraphist. Annie later emigrated to Australia, and the couple settled in Victoria.
Anne Millar Mitchell herself later served during the Second World War with the Australian Forces, enlisting on 13 April 1942 under service number VF346699. She attained the rank of Corporal and served in signals and communications work, a fitting role given her earlier civilian occupation as a telegraphist. Her wartime service is especially notable as she is specifically identified in an official wartime artwork depicting the interior of an Australian signals station. The description accompanying the painting names “Corporal Anne Millar Mitchell (VF346699), sending messages by Fullerphone”, alongside other operators and dispatch personnel serving in the 89 Australian Operating Section, Advanced Land Headquarters Signals. The scene provides a rare and highly personal visual link to her wartime service and directly identifies her by name and service number within the composition.
Anne Mitchell was discharged on 13 October 1944. The couple later resided in Melbourne, Victoria, where Anne died on 11 July 1971 and John the following year, both being buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne.
An extremely unusual and highly researchable husband and wife group to a Scottish-born couple who both served Australia during wartime; the husband a twice-wounded veteran of the Western Front who later became a Captain during the Second World War, and the wife a named wartime signals Corporal identified in an official wartime painting.
PLEASE NOTE: All research will be sent to the buyer via email. I am unable to provide printed copies, as I do not have access to a printer.
AJMS Medals