Name
Gilbert Robert Mitchell-Innes
27 February 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/05/1915
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
19th (Queen Alexandra's Own) Royal Hussars
'A' Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VLAMERTINGHE MILITARY CEMETERY
I. E. 9.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
FROM GLORY TO GLORY
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor, St John the Evangelist Church Bible, Lectern and family plaque, Boxmoor, Eton College Memorial Wall, Windsor
Pre War
Gilbert Robert Mitchell-Innes was born on 27 February 1895 in Bournemouth, Hants, the only son of Edward Alfred and Annie Barbara Mitchell-Innes. They were a well-known and wealthy family and Gilbert was one of four children.
On the 1901 Census, they were living at The Heath, Park Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was listed as a Barrister at Law. He was also King's Counsel and a member of the Borough and County Councils, he also sat on the Joint Hospital Board and was Mayor and Bailiff of Hemel Hempstead from 1911 to 1913.
It is recorded in the St John the Evangelist Church Bible at Boxmoor that Gilbert had worshipped there in his childhood. Although his parents and sisters were living at Churchill, Heath Lane, Hemel Hempstead on the 1911 Census, Gilbert was not listed, and would have been at school as he was educated at Eton College, Windsor, leaving in 1912 to enter the Royal Military College at Sandhurst.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war in August 1914, Gilbert was at Sandhurst but left to receive his first appointment as 2nd Lieutenant in the 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars. He was posted to Hounslow and in November 1914 was temporarily promoted to Lieutenant. He went to France on 5 February 1915 to join his regiment and saw his first action at the Second Battle of Ypres, followed by the Battle of St Julien in April and the Battle of Frezenberg in May.
On 13 May 1915, the final day of the Battle of Frezenburg, the 19th Hussars were near Ypres and were ordered to support a centre attack. They had to dig themselves into a wet ditch exposed to enemy fire and during this operation, Gilbert was hit, while superintending the work. He died from his injuries two days later on 15 May 1915, aged 20 and is buried at the Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father, Edward Mitchell-Innes Esq, KC CBE, Churchill, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, ordered his headstone inscription: “FROM GLORY TO GLORY". His father received a war gratuity of £40 and pay owing of £3.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelatwar, www.dacorumheritage,org.uk., www.hemelheroes.com.
