The war experience of Margaret and Jack Mitchell's fathers
Jack’s father was in the Royal Flying Corps and transferred into the Royal Air Force in April 1918 on its formation. Margaret’s father volunteered into the Royal Engineers at the Somme Barracks, Sheffield which he continued to visit for the rest of his life for get togethers with old comrades. He was involved in the tunneling campaigns in the Somme region that resulted in massive explosions under enemy lines, such as the Lochnagar mine detonated on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Such dangerous work was depicted recently in the book and TV adaptation of Birdsong. After the Somme, he was posted to Italy where he learned to speak Italian and developed a taste for vermouth.
A photograph of Margaret Mitchell's father and his battalion in Vicenza, Italy 1918. Note the men's mascot - a dog on the front row. Margaret's father is on the 2nd row down, 6th on the left.
CONTRIBUTOR
Sheffield 1914 Team
DATE
-
LANGUAGE
eng
ITEMS
1
INSTITUTION
Europeana 1914-1918
PROGRESS
METADATA
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Margaret Mitchell's father with his battalion in Vicenza | Italy 1918
1 Item
A photograph of Margaret Mitchell's father with his battalion in Vicenza, Italy 1918