The Posthumous WW2 ‘Damiano Ridge’ Victoria Cross awarded to Private George Allan Mitchell, of ‘A’ Company, 1st Battalion, London Scottish (Gordon Highlanders), awarded for ‘courage and devotion to duty of the highest order’ on the night of 23-24 January 1944 near Minturno, Italy – as part of the First Battle of Monte Cassino. With all of his officers and senior N.C.O.s either killed or wounded, Mitchell, ‘seizing a rifle and bayonet, charged, alone, up the hill through intense Spandau fire’ in the dark and up a rocky hillside. Attacking four German machine gun positions in turn, Mitchell silenced each one, shooting and bayonetting the enemy crews and taking numerous enemy prisoners – all the while ‘completely oblivious of the bullets which were sweeping the area’. Through his ‘complete disregard of enemy fire…and his refusal to accept defeat’ Mitchell inspired his platoon to follow him in these attacks and to continue their advance, ultimately restoring their position on the ridge. It was only after capturing the final enemy position on the crest of the hill, achieved at the point of a bayonet and with no ammunition remaining, that one of the German soldiers who had already surrendered seized a rifle and shot Mitchell through the head, killing him instantly, comprising: Victoria Cross, reverse of suspension bar engraved 'No. 3252325 Private G. A. Mitchell, London Scottish (Gordon Highlanders).', reverse of cross engraved ‘23rd – 24th January 1944’, retaining pin absent, in original fitted leather case by Hancocks & Co. Ltd., toned, very slight wear in places with tiny contact mark to lower right terminal point, otherwise extremely fine V.C.: London Gazette: 10.08.1944 – ‘In Italy on the night of 23rd and 24th January, 1944, a Company of the London Scottish was ordered to carry out a local attack to restore the situation on a portion of the main Damiano ridge. The Company attacked with two platoons forward and a composite platoon of London Scottish and Royal Berkshires in reserve. The Company Commander was wounded in the very early stages of the attack. The only other officer with the Company was wounded soon afterwards.’‘A section of this Company was ordered by the Platoon Commander to carry out a right flanking movement against some enemy machine guns which were holding up the advance. Almost as soon as he had issued the order, he was killed. There was no Platoon Sergeant. The section itself consisted of a Lance-Corporal and three men, who were shortly joined by Private Mitchell, the 2-inch mortarmen from Platoon Headquarters and another private. During the advance, the enemy opened heavy machine gun fire at point blank range. Without hesitation, Private Mitchell dropped the 2-inch mortar which he was carrying, and seizing a rifle and bayonet, charged, alone, up the hill through intense Spandau fire. He reached the enemy machine gun unscathed, jumped into the weapon pit, shot one and bayonetted the other member of the crew, thus silencing the gun. As a result, the advance of the platoon continued, but shortly afterwards the leading section was again held up by the fire of approximately two German sections who were strongly entrenched. Private Mitchell, realising that prompt action was essential, rushed forward into the assault firing his rifle from his hip, completely oblivious of the bullets which were sweeping the area. The remainder of his section followed him and arrived in time to complete the capture of the position in which six Germans were killed and twelve made prisoner.’‘As the section was reorganising, another enemy machine gun opened up on it at close range. Once more Private Mitchell rushed forward alone and with his rifle and bayonet killed the crew. The section now found itself immediately below the crest of the hill from which heavy small arms fire was being directed and grenades were being thrown. Private Mitchell's ammunition was exhausted, but in spite of this he called on the men for one further effort and again led the assault up the steep and rocky hillside. Dashing to the front, he was again the first man to reach the enemy position and was mainly instrumental in forcing the remainder of the enemy to surrender.’‘A few minutes later, a German who had surrendered, picked up a rifle and shot Private Mitchell through the head. Throughout this operation, carried out on a very dark night, up a steep hillside covered in rocks and scrub, Private Mitchell displayed courage and devotion to duty of the very highest order. His complete disregard of the enemy fire, the fearless way in which he continually exposed himself, and his refusal to accept defeat, so inspired his comrades, that together they succeeded in overcoming and defeating an enemy superior in numbers, and helped by all the advantages of the ground.’Private George Allan Mitchell (1911-1944) was born in 1911 in Highgate, North London, the son of Edward Joseph Mitchell and Florence Emma Mitchell. His father Edward served with the Royal Scots Fusiliers for 25 years, including throughout the Great War with the 3rd Battalion R.S.F., enlisting in August 1914 at the age of 38 for service with the Army Reserve. His son George attended Farmer Road School, in Leyton, East London between 1923 and 1927, and was an active member of the Boy Scouts prior to the outbreak of WW2.Enlisting for service with the London Scottish (Gordon Highlanders), the 1st Battalion served in the 168th (London) Brigade, part of the 56th (London) Division – nicknamed ‘The Black Cats’. This Division was not part of the original B.E.F. and undertook home-based defensive duties until 25 August 1942, when it departed the Clyde for service in the Middle East, in Persia and Iraq, travelling via Cape Town and Bombay. Struggling somewhat with the cold and rain while being housed ‘under canvas’, but using the time wisely while training for river crossings over the Little River Zab, the London Scottish were moved some months later to Egypt in March 1943 (much to the relief of the men), and then to Libya, where the 168th Brigade was detached from the 56th Division in order to support the understrength 50th (Northumbrian) Division after the Battle of Ghazala.Later that year, the 1st London Scottish took part in the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky), landing a few days after the initial landings at Syracuse on 13 July. After a short time based in an olive grove outside of the city, they began their march up to the front line – facing the relentless sun and heat of the Italian summer while carrying heavy packs. Their first action took place on the night of 15-16 July, where one company was asked to assist with an attack on the strategic Primosole Bridge between Syracuse and Catania (and close to its airfield), with further fighting for the whole battalion on the night of 17 July in an unsuccessful attack towards the northern side of the bridge, where they faced very heavy German opposition and some close quarter fighting (as recorded in ‘Fighting Through to Anzio’ by Stewart Mitchell). With further heavy fighting taking place across the division, Catania was taken, after which the London Scottish joined the fighting at Viagrande on the slopes of Mount Etna, at St. Verina, and at Macchia (12 August), which marked the end of the Sicilian campaign for the London Scottish – having taken part in 28 days of fighting during their 35 days in Sicily.As part of the next phase, the London Scottish landed with the 50th Division at Salerno on 14 October 1943 from Landing Craft Infantry (L.C.I.) vessels after the bridgehead had already been secured, suffering relatively light casualties. The 50th Division was soon after recalled to Great Britain in advance of the Normandy Landings, which allowed the London Scottish to return to their original place serving with the 56th (London) Division, now at Caserta, in order to continue the push into Italy. Their old division had recently seen hard fighting during the Salerno Landings, advancing thereafter north into Italy and towards the Volturno River. It was at this point, however, that the Allied advance became bogged down in the fighting on the Bernhardt Line – part of the formidable German ‘Winter Line’ defences. The London Scottish crossed the Volturno River on 20 October, in full view of the German hilltop positions nearby, which caused heavy Allied casualties. The London Scottish were then sent towards the line of hills which formed part of the ‘Barbara Line’ – another series of well-defended German positions – leading towards the fortified town of Teano, which was captured on 31 October despite the London Scottish taking further casualties (5 killed and 25 wounded, two of whom later died). The month of November brought heavy rains and colder conditions, and the London Scottish moved on to Calabritto, under the observation of German artillery, which plagued the London Scottish just as they were being relieved on the night of 10 November 1943. This barrage was then followed up with an attack, which required the London Scottish to return once again to the village to support the men of the 10th Royal Berkshires who had only just arrived. Fierce hand to hand fighting ensued, but the village was held long enough to prevent it being surrounded, as other reinforcements arrived in the area. Other actions took place in the battle for control of the summit of Mount Camino, and at the attack upon the village of Rocca d’Evandro, guarding the approach to the Garigliano River. This was their final success of the year, after which the Battalion went into reserve, with some soldiers being granted permission to visit Naples and others holding their own makeshift Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations.As part the First Battle of Monte Cassino, the London Scottish were back in action on 11-12 January 1944 – reaching the Garigliano River, where ‘D’ Company were called forward to clear two German fortified positions on the southern side of the river before a full-scale crossing and attack could be made (resulting in 32 further casualties and 7 men taken prisoner of war). Allied forces began a massed night-crossing over the deep-running Garigliano River on 17-18 January, 1944, and while the 1st Battalion London Scottish did not attack with the 56th Division on this occasion, they were called forward on the night of 20 January to occupy a position on Mount Damiano near the town of Castelforte, immediately facing stiff German opposition and counter-attacks.Moving towards the strategic Damiano Ridge, an initial attack some days later on the 23rd January led by Major Algernon Borthwick (alongside the 10th Royal Berkshires) was unsuccessful in taking the ridge, leaving significant numbers of wounded from both sides on its slopes. After a short cease-fire was agreed by both sides in order to recover their wounded under the flags of the Red Cross, the fighting resumed. The task fell to ‘A’ Company of the 1st Battalion, London Scottish, to carry out an attack in order to ‘restore the situation’ on this particular portion of the ridge. Major Borthwick was wounded early on in the attack, and the only other officer present was also wounded in turn. Following this, No.9 Section of No.9 Platoon was ordered by the Platoon Commander, Lance-Sergeant Rowland Hancock, to undertake a flanking attack against several well-positioned enemy machine gun nests which were holding up their advance. Moments after issuing the command, Hancock was also killed.The remaining men of the section consisted of one Lance-Corporal and three men, who were then joined by Private Mitchell and Private Miller, the 2-inch mortarmen from Platoon HQ – bringing the section up to a strength of just 6 men (‘The London Scottish in the Second World War, 1939-1945’ by Barclay [Ed.], refers). In the face of heavy machine-gun fire from very close range, Private Mitchell dropped his 2-inch mortar and took up a rifle and bayonet in order to seize the initiative. Charging alone, uphill and in the dark through intense Spandau fire, Mitchell somehow reached the first position unscathed and jumped into the machine gun placement, shooting one of its crew and immediately bayonetting the other – thus silencing the first machine gun. As a result, the advance of the platoon’s lead section continued, now able to join Mitchell at this newly captured position.Held up once again and pinned down by fire from approximately two sections of ‘strongly entrenched’ Germans further up the slope, Private Mitchell again leapt into action, rushing forward and ‘firing his rifle from the hip, completely oblivious of the bullets which were sweeping the area’, as his V.C. citation records. His bravery and leadership inspired the rest of his section to follow him in this new attack, arriving in time to complete the capture of this second German position with Mitchell, in which six Germans were killed and twelve taken prisoner.As the men of the lead section re-organised in order to continue the advance, Mitchell rushed forward for a third time, once again on his own and under his own initiative, attacking the next machine gun position and killing its crew with his rifle and bayonet. They now held the last position below the crest of the hill, with one final enemy position above them sending small arms fire and grenades in their direction.Despite having exhausted his own supply of ammunition, Mitchell then called to his men for one last ‘push’ towards this final objective, leading the attack once again up the steep, rocky hillside. Mitchell again was the first man to reach the summit, and was ‘instrumental’ in forcing the remaining enemy soldiers to surrender on the crest of the ridge. It was in the minutes after taking this key position, that one of the captured Germans, who had surrendered, picked up a rifle and shot Private Mitchell in the head, killing him instantly. Although the position on Monte Damiano was ultimately held over several further days of attacks and counter attacks, the other sections of ‘A’ Company had since received the order to withdraw, while the instruction only reached Mitchell’s section after he had been killed. As a consequence, Mitchell’s ‘body was never found’ as stated in (‘The London Scottish in the Second World War, 1939-1945’ by Barclay [Ed.]), although he was later commemorated with a grave at the Minturno War Cemetery, Italy (also known as the New Military Cemetery, Sessa Arunca) which overlooks the Garigliano River and Damiano Mountains, where Mitchell won the Victoria Cross. It is of note that George’s elder brother, David, had been killed in action in Italy just two months before his death. Also formerly of the 1st Battalion, London Scottish, David Mitchell had transferred for service with the 8th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders but was killed in Italy on 30 November 1943. His two other brothers, Charles and Edward, also served in Italy.Following George Mitchell’s death, his posthumous Victoria Cross was invested by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 17 July 1945, being presented to his father, Edward. Subsequently, George Mitchell’s brother gifted the V.C. to the Farmer Road Boys School in Leyton, East London, in 1959, which was renamed ‘The George Mitchell School’ in his honour in 1959. In order to support the school and its pursuit of new facilities, in 2006 George Mitchell’s nephew sold the V.C. to the London Scottish Regiment via private treaty, with the V.C. itself formally handed over by the school’s headmistress in a private ceremony at the London Scottish Regimental Headquarters, in London. Replica ‘groups’ showing his full entitlement, however, remain on public display at the London Scottish Museum and at the George Mitchell School. In addition, a commemorative service was held last month on Sunday 28 January, 2024, at the regimental chapel at St. Columba’s, Knightsbridge, to mark the 80th Anniversary of George Mitchell’s gallant deeds at Damiano Ridge.A total of 181 Victoria Crosses were awarded for WW2, of which 22 were awarded for actions in or ‘over’ Italy. Of these, just 5 appear to have been awarded for actions at Monte Cassino or in the vicinity - those awarded to: Private George Mitchell, 1st Battalion, London Scottish [offered here]; Lance-Corporal Francis Jefferson, 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers [stolen in 1982, location unknown]; Major Richard Wakeford, 2nd/4th Hampshire Regiment [held by the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, Haberdashers Hall, London]; Major John Keefer Mahony, Westminster Regiment, Canadian Army [held by the Canadian War Museum]; Sepoy Kemal Ram, 8th Punjab Regiment, Indian Army [held by the Ashcroft Medal Collection]). Given that one of these five remains ‘lost’, and that the remainder are held by major museums or institutions, the V.C. offered here is the last remaining example available to private collectors. Additionally, it is one of just 3 Victoria Crosses ever awarded to the London Scottish – and is the only V.C. awarded to the London Scottish, to the Gordon Highlanders, or to the 56th (London) Division, for valour during WW2.

Estimate: GBP 250000 - 300000