This week, we remember all those who fought for our country. We especially remember those who were killed in the Great War, 1914-1918, which began 110 years ago this year. We commemorate those 18 who played for SUCC and who lost their lives during the Great War.
This first story commemorates the life of PRIVATE ALAN DAVID MITCHELL, who was born in Toxteth St, Glebe on 27 November 1891 and who died 109 years ago at Heliopolis on 5 May 1915, aged just 23, as a result of wounds suffered during the first landing at Anzac Cove.
1. ALAN MITCHELL, A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF THE MIDDLE HARBOUR DISTRICT CRICKET CLUB.
On the evening of 3 December 1914, Aubrey Oxlade, long-serving Honorary Secretary of the Middle Harbour Club (later known as Manly), read out a letter of resignation from the General Committee's youngest member, Alan David Mitchell, who had enlisted in the 1st AIF on 20 November 1914. To fill the vacancy, Alan Cooper, a young 1st Grade batsman, was elected. Cooper himself was to enlist by the end of the season. Cooper eventually returned to Australia and actually played 1st Grade once more in 1919-20 although with limited success (116 runs @12.8).
2. PRIVATE MITCHELL'S DEATH.
Five months after the December meeting, news of Private Mitchell's death reached Australia, reported in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Sydney Mail, and noted in the 1914-15 Annual Report of the Middle Harbour Club: "He died fighting for his country... took a very active part in the management of the club's affairs."
He had been wounded on the first morning of the landing at Anzac Cove and was transferred on 30 April to hospital at Heliopolis where, on 5 May, he died of wounds suffered when he was shot in the foot by a Turkish sniper. He had enlisted in December 1914 (1 Battalion, number 1323) and was the first from the Manly district to be killed in the Great War, one of 18 SUCC players to lose his life in the Great War, one of 647 old boys of The King's School to enlist, one of 101 who never returned.
3. A MEMBER OF TWO GRADE CLUBS. AN UNDERGRADUATE IN TWO FACULTIES.
Mitchell had played for SUCC in 1912 when he studied Arts before joining Middle Harbour. He was then a clerk in his father's legal practice at Manly when he enrolled in Law I at Sydney University in 1914. He was persistent, energetic, active and loyal to his various duties.
4. JEWISH BACKGROUND.
His burial site gives a clue to his background. He was laid to rest in the Old Cairo Jewish Cemetery. One version of his enlistment form states that his religion was "Hebrew"; another that he was "Jew." Mitchell, however, does not appear to be a Jewish surname. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Myers (1861-1920). His Jewish background could have been derived from his mother as Judaism is irrevocably matrilineal. His paternal grandfather, Michael David (known as David) Mitchell (1825-1892) ran a successful wine, spirits and grocery store in sydney and he lived in Pyrmont Bridge Road, Glebe, in a house named "Jarocin", after his birthplace in Prussia (now part of Poland). Mitchell, however, was not his original surname. He was one of many Jews who emigrated from Prussia in the 1840s, firstly to Hamburg, then to London, then, in 1851, to Australia. His surname had been "Minchel" but he anglicised it to "Mitchell" in Australia. He kept his Jewish faith, narrying Julia Davis (1835-1906) at the Macquarie St Synagogue. His son, Mark (1861-1922), then married Elizabeth Myers at the Great Synagogue in 1887. His father became well established in Sydney society, serving for a time as an alderman on the Glebe Council from 1884 until 1887.
5. THE KING'S SCHOOL.
Alan David Mitchell, with his two younger brothers, Clive Harry (1895-1985) and Karl Arthur (1897-1951), were three of a small number of Jewish boys at The King's School from the time when Alan entered in 1903 until Karl graduated in 1915. Alan was known as "Ikey", a Jewish boy's name which means "laughter" and which is a version of "Isaac." He fitted in well when he arrived from Manly Grammar into Broughton House, student number 2564. He was a school Monitor. He served eight years in the cadets, played in the 1st XI from 1909 to 1911, and captained the 2nd XV from half back.
The King's School Magazine of June 1915, reporting his death, commented: "Few of our younger old boys were better known or better liked than Mitchell." He had been Secretary of The King's School Old Boys' Union.
6. ST ANDREW'S COLLEGE
Mitchell went up to Sydney University to study Arts and he was resident at the Presbyterian St Andrew's College, a rather gloomy place at the time. It was while he was a student there, one of only 1500 students at the University, that he played his only season for SUCC, 1911-12, but without distinction. His four innings in 2nd Grade realised only 45 runs and his seven 3rd Grade appearances realised another 99 runs. At King's, the 1910 school Magazine commented with some asperity on his "mixture of very good off-side strokes and very bad leg glances. He would do very well to give up the latter. Fair field but weak catch and poor thrower."
At St Andrew's, he was almost an exact contemporary of HV Evatt, a brilliant student who was to become a Justice of the High Court of Australia, President of the United Nations, leader of the Federal Labor Party and then Chief Justice of the NSW Supreme Court. Mitchell and Evatt were both indefatigable organisers, enthusiastic participants but moderate sportsmen. As cricketers, both were of limited ability. In his two 1st Grade innings with SUCC, Evatt made 19 runs. When Mitchell switched to Middle Harbour, his four 1st Grade innings produced 43 runs.
The marked difference between Evatt and Mitchell was their academic record. Evatt won the University Medal in Arts and then won a second medal when he finished first in his Bachelor of Laws year. On the other hand, in Arts I in 1912, Mitchell passed only Maths and he appears to have discontinued his studies, thus losing his eligibility to play for SUCC. He rejoined Middle Harbour for the 1912-13 season while working for his father.
7. A RETURN TO MIDDLE HARBOUR.
In 1912-13, his performances in 2nd Grade (158 runs from 12 innings) seemed little justification for a call-up to 1st Grade but in October 1912, but here was a triumph for availability over ability. Mitchell made 9 and then a more impressive 34 on debut against Waverley. In November, however, he was quickly bowled for 0 against Cumberland at the SCG. Demoted to 2nd Grade, he played in a side that had one solitary victory in the entire season.
8. ANOTHER STINT AT SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
Alan Mitchell returned to studies at Sydney University, this time in Law I. In 1914, he was listed among the undergraduates in law, along with JB Lane, SUCC'S 1st Grade Premiership captain, and EA McTiernan, later the longest-serving Judge on the High Court of Australia. Mitchell, however, is listed as "unmatriculated" and without any other academic qualifications.
9. ONE LAST 1st GRADE GAME.
The clouds of war were gathering when Mitchell made his third and final appearance in Middle Harbour's 1st Grade team in October 1914. By this time, cricket had become no more than a frivolous diversion since the declaration of war on 4 August.
Mitchell took the field at Manly Oval against Glebe. In Middle Harbour's innings on the second day, 31 October, Mitchell was comprehensively bowled first ball by AB (Tibby) Cotter, the fierce former Australian fast bowler. Cotter enlisted on 4 April 1915. A month after that, Mitchell was dead. Three years to the day that Cotter ended Mitchell's 1st Grade career, 31 October 1917, Cotter himself was killed at Beersheba, the only Australian Test cricketer killed in the Great War.
10. MITCHELL'S LEGACY.
Alan Mitchell's death inspired an immediate and practical response from his father. Mark Mitchell was intimately involved in life at Manly. He was a prominent local solicitor, a Trustee of the Manly Literary Institute, Director of the Manly Golf Club, resident since 1900 at the stately mansion Laitelinna on the corner of James and Fairlight Streets. In 1916, he donated 1000 pounds for the purpose of erecting an Anzac Memorial, the first Cenotaph in Australia. It still stands on The Corso.
At The King's School, Mark Mitchell donated one of the bells in the school chapel. The Old Boys' Union founded a prize in his memory which to this day is given to the "best all-round boy in the school."
Alan Mitchell is also commemorated on the Great Synagogue's roll of Honour. His brother, Clive, is also listed there. Severe bouts of malaria preceded his return to Australia in March 1919. He had also played cricket for Middle Harbour. He lived long, dying at 90. Alan and Clive were two of 7000 Australians of Jewish heritage who fought in the Great War, the best known is Sir John Monash.
11. MORE THAN A FOOTNOTE
Alan David Mitchell scored 872 runs in 68 innings for his two clubs. He was, however, a fine, energetic, generous young man, dead 109 years ago at 23.
For so many years, he was unheralded and unlisted by the cricket club, SUCC, that he represented for one season 112 years ago.
But now at least, let us always remember him
JAMES RODGERS