| The History of Coagh booklet lists Private John Mitchell as having served with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in the war.
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| John Mitchell was a son of John and Nancy Mitchell. John Mitchell married Nancy Cairns on 19th October 1889 in the district of Cookstown.
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| John Mitchell was born about 1886 in Tamlaght, County Tyrone. He was one of ten children.
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| The 1901 census lists John as age 15, living with the family at house 14 in Great Georges Street, Coagh. John was working as a message boy. His father was a carter.
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| Known family: John Mitchell, Nancy Mitchell, John Mitchell (born about 1886), James Mitchell (born 7th October 1890), Eliza Lizzie Mitchell (born 2nd November 1892), Isabella Mitchell (born 13th May 1894), Joseph Mitchell (born about 1895), Frederick Mitchell (born 27th March 1897), Annie Mitchell (born 21st August 1898, tbc), Robert Mitchell (born 2nd June 1901), Charles Mitchell (born 1st November 1904), Samuel Mitchell (born 15th September 1906).
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| The 1911 census does not list John as living with the family at house 23 in Great Georges Street, Coagh. His father was now working as a farm servant.
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| Private John Mitchell served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
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| 1915
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| In 1915 he was with the 2nd Battalion. He took part in the Battle of Festubert and at La Bassee. Until October 1915, he had not been injured.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 5th June 1915: Coagh Soldier’s Determination
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| Private John Mitchell, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, writing to his parents at Coagh on 18th May, says:-
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| ‘I am very thankful to be alive and able to write to you. We have had a terrible time in the trenches, being there for the past ten days without a rest. But thank God James Phelan and I came through it quite safely. Welsh was wounded in the arm and has been taken off to hospital, but I think he will be alright again before long. We have got some revenge for the boys who were killed, but I can tell you it was a very sickening night – hundreds of men lying dead all around us, and the groans of the wounded were simply hear-rending. I shall hope and trust I shall never see anything like it in all my life again. However, we managed to get what we wanted, as daresay you will see for yourself by the papers at home. One thing sure, we gave the Germans to know that we were Irishmen and that we were still determined to see Berlin. The weather here has been very wet which makes matters very much worse in the trenches. As a matter of fact, sometimes we are more like mud men than soldiers. Just now we are having a few days’ rest, which indeed we require very badly. But, for all that, we are feeling very fit, and for my part, I am in the very best of health and spirits. We are very proud of what our battalion was able to accomplish in the last big battle. The men, everyone, fought like heroes, each man doing his best, quite regardless of the danger to himself. I feel quite sure that God is on our side, and that we are sure to come off victorious at the last. I am hoping and trusting to be spared to see you all again when this bloody fray is over, but if called to do so, I shall willing lay down my life for the sake of my King and country. ‘
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 2nd October 1915: Private Mitchell’s Experiences
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| Private John Mitchell, Royal Irish Fusiliers, has just returned for a week to his parents who reside in Coagh, He has been in action since the outbreak of the war and has seen some desperate fighting, being engaged at Festubert and La Bassee, and took part in the victory last Sunday morning. Up to the present Johnny has come out uninjured and he is looking quite fit, and as merry and versatile as ever. He says the Allies will come out victorious in the end, but it will take some time. He leaves for the seat of war again on Saturday. Three of his brothers are at present in training with the Ulster Division.
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| 1916
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| It seems he was injured at the Somme in July 1916.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 29th July 1916:
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| The following local men in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers appear in Monday morning’s casualty list as wounded:- T J Creighton, Coagh; J Hudson, Coagh; J Mitchell, Coagh.
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| 1918
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| A report from June 1918 records that John Mitchell was still at the front.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 15th June 1918: 19315 Sergeant Joseph Mitchell M.M.
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| Sergeant Joseph Mitchell M.M., 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, third son of Mr John Mitchell, Coagh. He has been awarded the military medal for bravery in the field. He joined up almost three ago, when 19 years of age and has been twice wounded. He is one of a family with a splendid record for patriotism. His elder brother, Private John Mitchell, went out with the first expeditionary force and is still fighting; Private James Mitchell, who has been at the front for over two years, is posted as missing since 27th March. Another brother, Fred Mitchell, was serving but has been discharged invalided; while a younger brother, Bobbie Mitchell, is at present in training on Salisbury Plain.
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| In all, at least five sons of John and Nancy served in the war.
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| World War Two
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 6th July 1940: Coagh – Mitchell Family
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| Privates Johnny and Robert Mitchell, of the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps (A.M.P.C.), have been home on leave from France last week. Another brother, Charles, while not officially reported missing, has not been heard of for several weeks. Johnny came through the last war without a scratch, while his brother Robert, having been accepted at the close, later saw Service in India. Another brother, James, was killed in the last war.
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| A cousin, Private David Mitchell, is at present home on leave. He had two brothers who made the supreme sacrifice in the last war, which he came through being twice wounded. He was awarded the Military Medal in 1917. Interviewed by our correspondent, he described his miraculous escape from Dunkirk during the evacuation, and some heartrending scenes in Belgium which he saw of people leaving their homes without food or much clothing.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 23rd January 1943: Orange News – Tamlaght L.O.L. No. 160
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| At a meeting of Tamlaght True Blues L.O.L. No. 160 on Monday week, Brother William Nesbitt, W.M., in the chair, Brother William Beattie (committee foreman) in the chair, a vote of sympathy was passed to Brothers Fred, Robert, Charles and David Mitchell, on the loss they had sustained by the death of Brother John Mitchell who, for almost forty years, had been a loyal member of the lodge. He had served his country in both the Great War and the present war, at Dunkirk, etc, and had also been a member of the Special Constabulary and the Ulster Volunteer Force.
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