b. 11/10/1878 Farnworth, Wigan, Lancashire. d. 11/11/1954 Wigan, Lancashire.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 23/12/1911 Bamfurlong Mine, near Wigan, Lancashire.
John Thomas Mitchell was born in Farnworth, near Wigan, Lancashire on 11th October 1878. Little else is known about his parents and childhood, but he became a coal miner from a young age, working at the Bamfurlong Mine. On 19th January 1901, at St George’s, Wigan, he married Mary Ellen Corns. They had two children, Wilfred (born 1903) and Doris (born 1906). Following his heroism at Bamfurlong just before Christmas 1911, he decided to leave the industry, and in later life, he became a fruit salesman. He died aged 77 in November 1954 and was buried at Lower Ince Cemetery, Wigan.
EM CITATION:
On the 23rd December, 1911, water in largequantities broke into the Bamfurlong Mine,near Wigan, and by a heavy fall of earth aparty of 13 were cut off from safety. Mitchell explored the roads in order to find a way ofreaching these men, though his life was exposed to constant danger in consequence of the continued rise of the water. Finally he succeeded in boring, a passage through the fall, thereby rescuing all the men who had been cut off. In another part of the workings Green, who had heard of the inundation, went down the dip toward the men under his charge, although he met the water already rushing down the roads. In doing so, he acted at grave risk to his life, and it was two hours before he was out of danger. He extricated all his men. James Green has since died, and the Medal will be given to his widow.
BURIAL LOCATION: LOWER INCE CEMETERY, WIGAN, LANCASHIRE.
SECTION G GRAVE 260.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
