Father: Thomas Edward Mitchell, a Hotel Keeper; mother,Ada Agnes [Clements], Ed. Clarks College, Ealing prev. Royal Navy; Air Branch RNVR 21 Feb 1939 - 6 Jun 1940 then Sub-Lt, RNVR (HMS Tormentor, Warsash, Hants) "Suspended from flying duty due to a failure to complete the fighter deck landing course" prev. exp. 122 hrs on Hart, Master, Skua, Roc, Gladiator m. Oct 1941 in Somerset, Tessibel Maria [Phillips] (b. 1922 d. 2015) Address in 1941: Worcester House, West Hill Rd, Bournemouth. In 1942: Glen House, Saltford, Somerset Postings: 2FPP, 8FPP On 26 September 1941, the contracts of 4 pilots were terminated and they were taken on by BOAC, "for special work": "I have instructed First Officers Worcester, MacCallum, Thornhill and Mitchell to report to you immediately... these are the officers I have selected from the applicants for duty in Africa and I feel pretty certain the first three will prove entirely suitable... Mitchell I am not so sure about..." but three of them (Worcester, MacCallum, and Mitchell) were given three months notice after a few weeks, and reverted to ATA.
"An average pilot whose general flying is satisfactory, but he should pay more attention to accuracy, His accidents do not appear to have affected his flying, although he did show signs of nervousness with the Blenheim" "Very keen to get on with the job" In August 1942 he delivered 42 aircraft; his C.O. Leonard Leaver said, "I must admit it is a heavy month's work" "He has been of great service to the ATA"
6 accidents, 4 his fault: - 29 May 1941, pilot error in a Spitfire caused the selector lever to stick - 29 Jan 1942, forced landing (due to running out of fuel, not his fault) in Hereford L6100, with undercarriage retracted . [A complaint was also lodged against him, for taking off from the wrong runway] - 12 Apr 1942, uncontrolled swing when landing Beaufort IN1105 too fast, caused an undercarriage leg to collapse - 5 Jul 1942, he had engine trouble with Beaufighter EL235 and overshot the forced landing, striking telephone wires and stalling (not his fault) - 20 Jul 1942, heavy landing in Hurricane IIc HV310 and broke an undercarriage leg
d. 6 Sep 1943 in Beaufighter VIF ND173 at St. Athan. He took off with the tail trim fully aft; the aircraft climbed steeply then stalled and crashed. Cremated at Pontypridd Crematorium He died intestate, so his wife Tessibel inherited his estate of £1,400, (which included the £2,000 insurance provided by the ATA). Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
ATA
