Mexborough and Swinton Times, December 30, 1916
Retirement of Lieut Col Thomas Wilfred Howe Mitchell
Lt Col Thomas Wilfred Howe Mitchell of Sandygate house, Wath on Dearne, has retired from the command of the 2/5th, Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment (T.S.), now in training, and his retirement is gazetted this week.
Col Mitchell has had a distinguished career as a Volunteer and Territorial officer, and has a rendered valuable and lasting service to the cause of voluntary training in this country.
He is the eldest son of the late Mr Joseph Mitchell, of Bolton Hall, and grandson of the late Mr Joseph Mitchell, mining engineer, and founder of the Mitchell Main Colliery, of which Col Mitchell is now Chairman.
Col Mitchell’s first introduction to the military atmosphere was at Rugby, when he joined the school cadet corps, a detachment of the second volunteer Battalion, Warwickshire rifles. He became a sergeant during his last year at school, 1881.
Then he came home to enter regular upon the profession of a mining engineer, and on June 10, 1882, was gazetted Lieutenabnt in the Wath company (the 40th) of the eighth Battalion, West Riding Volunteer Rifle Regiment, a regiment which at that time had its headquarters at Doncaster.
He became captain on 27 June 1885. He held the command of the Wath company, succeeding captain Edward Johnson, who subsequently became Lt Col commanding the battalion.
By a pleasant coincidence Col Johnson son, Maj E.D.B.Johnson, now second in command of the first – fifth Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment (T.F) in active service, subsequently served at Wath as “sub” to Col Mitchell in exactly the same way that major Johnson served his father.
Col Mitchell received his majority on March 14, 1903.
In 1907 the volunteer force was remodelled under the Territorial scheme and the eighth volunteer Battalion, West Riding, became the second volunteer Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, with Lt Col Arthur Senior, of Park House, Barnsley in command.
Col Senior relinquishes command three months after the transformation, and was succeeded by Col Mitchell on April 1 1914. Col Mitchell remained in command of the second volunteer Battalion York and Lancaster, for exactly 6 years.
On April 1 1914 Col Mitchell resigned the command of the battalion, and was succeeded by Maj Charles Fox, the present commander.
Col Mitchell had some years earlier receives a long service Volunteer decoration, and April’s 22nd 1914 was appointed honorary Col of the battalion.
Upon the outbreak of war the second Battalion became the fifth. It was in summer camp at Whitby when war war declared and the Territorial Army mobilised