Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Updates for Private Alexander Mitchell M.M.
Date Information
11/04/2020 The announcement of his award of the Military Medal appeared in the London Gazette on 1st March 1945, after his death.
11/04/2020 Alexander Mitchell served with the 8th Battalion of the Royal Scots.
11/04/2020 Private Alexander Mitchell was awarded the Military Medal for his actions on the 29th September 1944.
11/04/2020 On the morning of 29th September 1944 during an attack by the 8th Battalion of the Royal Scots in the area of Fratishoff (Map Sheet BOXTEL 18NM 1/25,000 3832) C Company was advancing from its start line and was under heavy small arms fire from its front, when an unlocated enemy post to the left rear opened up, causing ten casualties in a few seconds.
11/04/2020 Private Alexander Mitchell, who was on the left flank of C Company, realised what a disastrous effect this post might have on the attack and, entirely on his own imitative and regardless of the danger to which he was exposing himself, turned off towards the direction of the enemy post and charged it, firing his Bren gun from the hip. When he stood up to do this, the enemy fire was particularly directed on him from both the front and the flank, but he took no notice of this and advanced in the the direction from which the fire was coming, spraying all likely positions with fire.
11/04/2020 The suddenness and determination of this attack so demoralised the enemy that they evacuated their positions and fled, leaving three dead behind. Private Mitchell then caught up with his Company again and completed the remainder of the attack with them.
11/04/2020 Alexander Mitchell was born about 1922.
11/04/2020 Private Alexander Mitchell died on 24th February 1945 in Germany.
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11/04/2020 Private Alexander Mitchell was initially buried at Schloss Galbeck in Germany (Ref SH4303 1/25,000 943430).
11/04/2020 Private Alexander Mitchell M.M. was reinterred in Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany on 4th July 1946. His inscription reads: WORTHY OF EVERLASTING REMEMBRANCE
11/04/2020 The CWGC record Private Alexander Mitchell M.M. as the nephew of William and Mary Kincaid of Upperlands, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
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11/04/2020 His prompt and brave action saved a critical situation and allowed C Company to capture its objective without further interference from the flank. Signed Field Marshall B L Montgomery.
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