Private James Gordon Mitchell Federated Malay States Volunteer Force
1939-45 Star. Pacific Star. War Medal 1939-45.
The Man James Gordon Mitchell (Gordon) was born on Saturday 14th October 1905 in St Ives, Cornwall, son of James Quick a Mining Prospector and Mary Zenobia nee Keskeys. He was one of three children, Harold Rowe born in 1903 and Mary Margaret 1912, the 1911 census shows the family, minus James senior, living at 3 Albany Terrace, St Ives, with Mary’s mother Zenobia Ann.
By 1921 Gordon was a full-time boarder at School, The Chestnut, 1 Cottage Road and following his education became, like his father, a Mining Engineer. By 1926, the family were living at Roscarrack, St Ives.
Gordon worked mostly overseas, he travelled on 14th October 1926, his 21st Birthday, aboard the SS Beltana from the Port of London to Cape Town, South Africa, returning on 14th December in SS Ceramic of the White Star Line and landing at Southampton. This was followed by time in Central Africa, returning to Liverpool in July 1928 and again on 15th September 1931. He then returned to South Africa returning to the UK on 1st September 1939, landing at Liverpool and most likely with the outbreak of World War II imminent. His address was given as 5 Draycott Terrace St Ives and the 1939 Register shows him living here with his mother and sister, who was now married.
As a Mining Engineer Gordon’s job was a reserved occupation and he travelled once again to Africa returning on 28th July 1940. On 10th June 1941 aged 35 he made his last voyage travelling to Singapore in the SS Ulysses. He worked as an Inspector of Mines in the Malaysian state of Perak and with the Japanese invasion imminent he enlisted into the 1st (Perak) Battalion Federated Malay States Volunteer Force as a private.
The Japanese invaded Malaya and drove down into Singapore and with the Garrison’s surrender on 15th February 1942, James was taken as a Prisoner of War and transported to Thailand to work on the notorious Burma Railway.
Sadly, despite his undoubted engineering skills, he did not survive long under the harsh conditions meted out by the Japanese. He succumbed and passed away just six months later, on 6th August 1942 aged 37 of malaria and hemorrhage. He was initially buried near the Prison Camp he had worked in at the start of the railway line at Ban Pong, grave number 8, but following the war was re-buried at Don Rak, Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery in Kanchanaburi grave 2.G.43 on 5th February 1946. The inscription on his headstone read “Always loving memories of dear Gordon. Mother, Harold, Peggy, of St Ives, Cornwall”. His death was reported in The Cornishman newspaper of 15th November 1945, no doubt a painful three year wait for his family.
It is interesting that as a Malay Volunteer, unlike service personnel, the details kept by the Japanese and British were very sparce.
For his service, Gordon was posthumously awarded the 1939-34 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45.
By 1921 Gordon was a full-time boarder at School, The Chestnut, 1 Cottage Road and following his education became, like his father, a Mining Engineer. By 1926, the family were living at Roscarrack, St Ives.
Gordon worked mostly overseas, he travelled on 14th October 1926, his 21st Birthday, aboard the SS Beltana from the Port of London to Cape Town, South Africa, returning on 14th December in SS Ceramic of the White Star Line and landing at Southampton. This was followed by time in Central Africa, returning to Liverpool in July 1928 and again on 15th September 1931. He then returned to South Africa returning to the UK on 1st September 1939, landing at Liverpool and most likely with the outbreak of World War II imminent. His address was given as 5 Draycott Terrace St Ives and the 1939 Register shows him living here with his mother and sister, who was now married.
As a Mining Engineer Gordon’s job was a reserved occupation and he travelled once again to Africa returning on 28th July 1940. On 10th June 1941 aged 35 he made his last voyage travelling to Singapore in the SS Ulysses. He worked as an Inspector of Mines in the Malaysian state of Perak and with the Japanese invasion imminent he enlisted into the 1st (Perak) Battalion Federated Malay States Volunteer Force as a private.
The Japanese invaded Malaya and drove down into Singapore and with the Garrison’s surrender on 15th February 1942, James was taken as a Prisoner of War and transported to Thailand to work on the notorious Burma Railway.
Sadly, despite his undoubted engineering skills, he did not survive long under the harsh conditions meted out by the Japanese. He succumbed and passed away just six months later, on 6th August 1942 aged 37 of malaria and hemorrhage. He was initially buried near the Prison Camp he had worked in at the start of the railway line at Ban Pong, grave number 8, but following the war was re-buried at Don Rak, Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery in Kanchanaburi grave 2.G.43 on 5th February 1946. The inscription on his headstone read “Always loving memories of dear Gordon. Mother, Harold, Peggy, of St Ives, Cornwall”. His death was reported in The Cornishman newspaper of 15th November 1945, no doubt a painful three year wait for his family.
It is interesting that as a Malay Volunteer, unlike service personnel, the details kept by the Japanese and British were very sparce.
For his service, Gordon was posthumously awarded the 1939-34 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45.
The Story The medals awarded to James Gordon Mitchell were won at a Spink Auction on 30th January 2025, whilst in Thailand!
They were of interest as Gordon had been a British Subject who died whilst working on the infamous Burma Railway as a member of the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force and buried in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. This being a sub-theme of this collection.
His biography was pieced together from Ancestry and his grave at Kanchanaburi visited and a cross laid in his memory.
Another hitherto forgotten soul, who perished under inhumane circumstances. May he rest in eternal peace.
They were of interest as Gordon had been a British Subject who died whilst working on the infamous Burma Railway as a member of the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force and buried in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. This being a sub-theme of this collection.
His biography was pieced together from Ancestry and his grave at Kanchanaburi visited and a cross laid in his memory.
Another hitherto forgotten soul, who perished under inhumane circumstances. May he rest in eternal peace.
Receipt for inscription on headstone and original black and white photograph.
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Don Rak, Kanchanaburi Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Saturday 1st March 2025
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James Mitchell's Japanese PoW Record Card
James Gordon MITCHELL is one of 26 soldiers in this collection who perished whilst working on the Burma Railaway and whose final resting place is Kanchanaburi or Chungkai Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Thailand or Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar. May their souls rest in eternal peace. Click on each name to read about:
- John AXON
- Thomas BURNS
- William James Johnstone BYERS
- Walter Richard COLBERT
- Percy Denis CORNWELL
- Joseph DUCKWORTH
- Harold Edward EKE
- Kenneth Robert EYLAND
- Charles Nevil Worton FOX
- Denys John HYDE
- George Sidney JOHNSON
- Charles Roger LLOYD
- Stanley Richard LOVEDAY
- Myles McMANUS
- Raymond Ernest MADGETT
- Alfred Arthur MANNING
- John MARKS
- Horace Edgar MAXWELL
- Edward John PHILLIPS
- George Edward RUDDICK
- Kenneth William SHIPP
- Harold Norman SPALDING
- Alfred Henry STEVENS
- Walter Leonard TAYLOR
- Henry Garnsey VEITCH
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Pacific Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
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