Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of Edmund Ashby Vaughan Mitchell and Charlotte Emily Clay. Husband of Doris Beall Tollington, of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Father of Barry Clay Mitchell.
Brother of Lieutenant Eric Lawson Mitchell, regimental number X-62, killed in action on December 20th, 1941 at Stanley Gap, Mount Butler, Hong Kong.
Served with the Volunteers of Manitoba Contingent - NPAM - in October 1939, regimental number 499, with the 2nd Battalion of the Winnipeg Grenadiers - NPAM - from July 1940 until his transfer to the regular forces of the 1st Battalion of the Winnipeg Grenadiers on September 2nd, 1941, regimental number X-62, serving in Manitoba and Hong Kong with C Force as the Commanding Officer of the 9th Platoon, A Company. He had 110 days of service, including 54 overseas.
To commemorate his sacrifice, the Manitoba government named Mitchell Island located on Blackfish Lake in his honor in 1989.
1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Defence Medal, Hong Kong Bar.
Digital gallery of Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Lieutenant WILLIAM VAUGHAN MITCHELL is one of 18 members of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps who are commemorated on this panel of the Sai Wan Memorial. He was one of 290 Canadian soldiers killed during the defense of Hong Kong, from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. According to information compiled by Vincent Lopata and posted at the Hong Kong Veteran¿s Commorative Association website, Lieutenant MITCHELL and his brother, Corporal TAGE GYNTHER AGERBAK and Private DORI JAMES O'NEILL, were murdered by the Japanese at ¿the Black Hole¿. Lieutenant ERIC LAWSON MITCHELL is buried at Sai Wan Cemetery immediately adjacent to the Sai Wan Memorial. The others three have no known grave and hence are commemorated at the Sai Wan Memorial. http://www.cforce.hkvca.ca/battledeaths.htm
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Lieutenant WILLIAM VAUGHAN MITCHELL was reported to be Missing in Action in the Canadian Army's 248th overseas casualty list of the war published in the Globe and Mail on January 13, 1943. This newspaper story quotes a Defense Department spokesman as saying he and his brother, Lieutenant ERIC LAWSON MITCHELL, were missing as a result of the Dieppe attack, and they appear on the list under ¿Hamilton Regiment¿. They were in fact members of the Winnipeg Grenadiers and were wounded and then murdered by the Japnese on December 20, 1941 during the defense of Hong Kong.
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Dedicatory inscription of the SAI WAN MEMORIAL. This memorial bears the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen, including 228 Canadians.
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
The Sai Wan Memorial is located at the entrance of Sai Wan Cemetery. 1,505 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War are buried or commemorated at this cemetery, of which 444 of the burials are the remains of unidentified soldiers, including those of 107 Canadian soldiers, most of whom were killed or died of wounds during the defense of Hong Kong, which took place from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. This is one such grave marker. There is a possibility that the remains of Lieutenant WILLIAM VAUGHAN MITCHELL lie beneath this grave marker, or one of the other 106 grave markers in Sai Wan Cemetery that simply read, A SOLDIER OF THE 1939-1945 WAR. A CANADIAN REGIMENT. KNOWN UNTO GOD. The unidentified soldiers are commemorated at the Sai Wan Memorial.
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
In memory of those who served in Hong Kong during World War 11 and did not come home. Submitted with permission on behalf of the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association by Operation: Picture Me.
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Plaques in the lobby of the Great-West Life Assurance Company Building (60 Osborne Street, Winnipeg) list employees who were killed during service in the First World War and Second World War. They were unveiled originally at ceremonies held on 11 November 1921 and 11 November 1948, respectively.
Digital gallery of
Lieutenant William Vaughan Mitchell
Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
Image gallery
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Lieutenant WILLIAM VAUGHAN MITCHELL is one of 18 members of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps who are commemorated on this panel of the Sai Wan Memorial. He was one of 290 Canadian soldiers killed during the defense of Hong Kong, from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. According to information compiled by Vincent Lopata and posted at the Hong Kong Veteran¿s Commorative Association website, Lieutenant MITCHELL and his brother, Corporal TAGE GYNTHER AGERBAK and Private DORI JAMES O'NEILL, were murdered by the Japanese at ¿the Black Hole¿. Lieutenant ERIC LAWSON MITCHELL is buried at Sai Wan Cemetery immediately adjacent to the Sai Wan Memorial. The others three have no known grave and hence are commemorated at the Sai Wan Memorial. http://www.cforce.hkvca.ca/battledeaths.htm
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Lieutenant WILLIAM VAUGHAN MITCHELL was reported to be Missing in Action in the Canadian Army's 248th overseas casualty list of the war published in the Globe and Mail on January 13, 1943. This newspaper story quotes a Defense Department spokesman as saying he and his brother, Lieutenant ERIC LAWSON MITCHELL, were missing as a result of the Dieppe attack, and they appear on the list under ¿Hamilton Regiment¿. They were in fact members of the Winnipeg Grenadiers and were wounded and then murdered by the Japnese on December 20, 1941 during the defense of Hong Kong.
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Dedicatory inscription of the SAI WAN MEMORIAL. This memorial bears the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen, including 228 Canadians.
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Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.
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Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.
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The Sai Wan Memorial is located at the entrance of Sai Wan Cemetery. 1,505 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War are buried or commemorated at this cemetery, of which 444 of the burials are the remains of unidentified soldiers, including those of 107 Canadian soldiers, most of whom were killed or died of wounds during the defense of Hong Kong, which took place from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. This is one such grave marker. There is a possibility that the remains of Lieutenant WILLIAM VAUGHAN MITCHELL lie beneath this grave marker, or one of the other 106 grave markers in Sai Wan Cemetery that simply read, A SOLDIER OF THE 1939-1945 WAR. A CANADIAN REGIMENT. KNOWN UNTO GOD. The unidentified soldiers are commemorated at the Sai Wan Memorial.
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In memory of those who served in Hong Kong during World War 11 and did not come home. Submitted with permission on behalf of the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association by Operation: Picture Me.
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Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
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Plaques in the lobby of the Great-West Life Assurance Company Building (60 Osborne Street, Winnipeg) list employees who were killed during service in the First World War and Second World War. They were unveiled originally at ceremonies held on 11 November 1921 and 11 November 1948, respectively.
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Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 39 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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SAI WAN MEMORIAL Victoria, Hong Kong
This SAI WAN MEMORIAL honours over 2,000 men of the land forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire who died in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War.
The SAI WAN MEMORIAL is in the form of a shelter building 24 metres long and 5.5 metres wide. It stands at the entrance to Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery, outside Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong. From the semi-circular forecourt, two wide openings lead to the interior of the building. The names are inscribed on panels of Portland stone. The dedicatory inscription reads:
1939 - 1945 The officers and men whose memory is honoured here died in the defence of Hong Kong in December 1941 and in the ensuing years of captivity and have no known grave.
The northern side of the Memorial is open and four granite piers support the copper roof. From a commanding position 305 metres above sea level, it looks out over the War Cemetery where some 1,500 men lie buried, and across the water to Mainland China - a magnificent view of sea and mountains.
The Cape Collinson area has many cemeteries. Walking up this narrow one-way traffic road, one will pass the Catholic Cemetery situated on the hillside to the left of the road, and the Hong Kong Military Cemetery on the right. Sai Wan War Cemetery is about half way up Cape Collinson Road and faces the Muslim and Buddhist cemeteries.
One can also get a taxi from Chai Wan Terminus and follow the same route. Alternatively, one can board a public light bus, Route No.16M, which runs from Chai Wan MTR Terminus to Stanley. En route to Stanley the minibus will pass Sai Wan War Cemetery.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Poppy Design is a trademark of The Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command) and is used with permission. Click here to learn more about the poppy.
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