James was born on 8 December 1902 in Hastings, Sussex, the 5th child of Richard Francis and Annie (née Sinden) Mitchell, with 2 sisters, Lillian May (1894), Annie (1899), and 2 brothers, Richard Francis (1896), Henry Thornton (1901) completing the family unit residing in Hastings, Sussex.

James entered the Royal Navy on 19 July 1918 when he stepped on board HMS GANGES ll the Royal Naval Training Establishment (RNTE) at Shotley, near Ipswich, Suffolk, as a Boy Second Class aged 15 years and 4 months. Advanced to Boy Telegraphist on 5 December he was drafted to HMS VICTORY 1 at Portsmouth on 22 August 1919. On 27 January 1920 he joined HMS DUBLIN and was advanced to Ordinary Telegraphist on 12 August 1920. On 21 July 1921 he was rated up to Telegraphist and returned to VICTORY 1 on 20 December 1921 before joining HMS DPLPHIN on 23 May 1922 for the basic submarine training course. He then joined HMS L24 on 1 July 1922, was based at DOLPHIN. On 24 September L24 was transferred to HMS LUCIA as depot ship though returned back to DOLPHIN as her depot ship on 14 January 1923.

L24 and her crew were lost when the submarine was struck by the battleship HMS RESOLUTION during an exercise with 7 other naval vessels off Portland Bill on 10 January 1924. It is beleived that L24 was at periscope depth carrying out manouvres after a mock attack on another ship and was unaware of RESOLUTION’s position. It is thought that as she started to surface she suddenly became aware, too late, of the fast approaching battleship.

Telegraphist James Mitchell with Service Number J92053 age 21 “Crossed The Bar” with the other 42 of his shipmates.