Mitchell, William George

Lieutenant Colonel William George Mitchell, VD was the Commanding Officer of the 166^th (Queen’s Own Rifles) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force and Temporary/Acting Commanding Officer 12^th (1^st Central Ontario Regiment, CEF) Reserve Battalion during the First World War.

He was the son of William Mitchell and Lucy Ann Cowle and was born 18 November 1867 in Bowmanville, Ontario. He married Minnie Mae Till on 30 June 1897 and took up residence at 108 Madison Avenue in Toronto. At the time of his attestation they had two sons, Hector Cowle (age 17) and John Hales (age 13), and one daughter Ruth Mary (age 8). In his civilian life he was a Stock Broker and was a member of the Church of England.

He died 30 November 1955, aged 88 and is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.

Service Record

1892, enlisted with The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada;
1892, 20 Feb, appointed 2nd Lieutenant (Provisional);
1892, 30 Sep, gazetted 2nd Lieutenant;
1893, is diagnosed with Typhoid Fever;
1896, 08 Feb, promoted Lieutenant:
1901, 22 Aug, promoted Captain;
Date unknown, promoted Major;
1916, 16 Jan, attested and taken on strength 166^th Battalion (QOR) Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) as a Major with 24 years of previous service with the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada;
1916, 17 Jan, Medical Examination in Toronto;
1916, 01 Jul, the 166th (Queen’s Own Rifles) Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force moves from Exhibition Camp, Toronto to Camp Borden;
1916, 05 Aug, promoted Staff Major and assumes Temporary Command of 166^thBn;
1916, 01 Oct, promoted Lieutenant Colonel;
1916, 05 Oct, appointed Commanding Officer 166^th (Queen’s Own Rifles) Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force;
1916, 13 Oct, embarked Halifax for England aboard the S.S. Olympic. [Note – The Battalion moves to England in halves with the second half embarking aboard the S.S. Cameronian on 18 October 1916 arriving at Liverpool on 28 October 1916];
1916, 19 Oct, disembarked at Liverpool;
1916, Oct, Separation Allowance of $60 per month and Assigned Pay to Minnie of $100 per month begins;
1917, 02 Jan, appointment to Commanding Officer 12^th (1^st Central Ontario Regiment, CEF) Reserve Battalion reported in London Gazette;
1917, 04 Jan, appointed Temporary/Acting Commanding Officer 12^th (1^st Central Ontario Regiment, CEF) Reserve Battalion;
1917, 08 Jan, Taken On Strength by the 12^th (1^st Central Ontario Regiment, CEF) Reserve Battalion;
1917, Apr, suffers a traumatic injury to his right knee playing baseball at Camp Bexhill. He did not go to the hospital but took three weeks bed rest;
1917, 29 Jul, attached to 5^th Army Headquarters (in France);
1917, 13 Aug, Taken On Strength by the 1^st Central Ontario Regiment Depot, West Sandling;
1917, 13 Aug, seconded for duty with the War Office (Department of Army and Navy, Canteen Board – Bramshott);
1917, 31 Aug, secondment to the War Office reported in London Gazette;
1917, 31 Aug, examined at the Military Hospital, Bramshott – syncopal episode;
1917, 01 to 03 Sep – admitted to Military Hospital, Bramshott – diagnosed with Debility (a syncopal episode that he describes as gastric indigestion in 1919);
1917, 01 Sep, X-Ray of right knee taken (injury April 1917);
1919, 26 Apr, Medical Board – synovitis right knee injured April 1917 – Fit for Garrison Duty, Unfit General Service for six months;
1919, 26 Apr, Dental Examination for Demobilization;
1919, 12 May, cease Secondment to the War Office;
1919, 30 may, Taken on Strength by #2 Military District Depot, Toronto;
1919, 31 May, cease attachment to the 5^th Army Headquarters;
1919, 31 May, depart England aboard H.M.T.S. Mauretania;
1919, 06 June, returns to Canada;
1919, 08 June, Struck Off Strength (General Demobilization) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force;
1919, 16 June, cease Secondment to War Office reported in London Gazette;
Date unknown, awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration.

With information from:
Library and Archives Canada, Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 6266 – 34, http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B6266-S034