Lieutenant John Mark MITCHELL RN
727 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy

Date of birth: 13th May 1933
Date of death: 4th August 1956

Killed on active service aged 23
Unknown
John Mark Mitchell was born at Petersfield on the 13th of May 1933 the son of Mark Smith Mitchell, a company director, and Violet H. (nee Wild) Mitchell of Nestle Down, Hill Brow, Liss in Hampshire.

He was educated at Lancing College from May 1947 to July 1951 where he was in Sandersons House. He was a member of the Combined Cadet Force (RAF), where he achieved Certificate A, his Proficiency Certificate and won a flying scholarship. He achieved his Pilot's A Licence at Redhill Aerodrome flying a Miles Magister on the 16th of July 1951.

On leaving school he joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1952 and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant on the 24th of November 1953. He was based at the Royal Naval Air Station at Brawdy, HMS Goldcrest and by the summer of 1956 he was on his second tour of duty there.

On the 4th of August 1956 HMS Goldcrest was holding its third annual air display and a crowd of 10,000 people had gathered to watch the flying display. John Mitchell had just completed a display of aerobatics in Bouton Paul Balliol T.21 WL726 when his aircraft crashed and burst into flames.

The West Wales Guardian carried the story the following week:-

"Tragedy stark and sudden hit the Brawdy air display right at the beginning of the programme on Saturday afternoon. Two helicopters carrying huge banners with the words "Welcome to Brawdy" had hardly completed their circuit of the station when a Sea Balliol, the Royal Navy's latest carrier borne trainer, crashed and burst into flames. A gasp of horror went up from the vast crowd as the aircraft, about to pull out of a shallow dive, went straight down and disappeared behind a slight dip at the edge of the airfield, to be followed immediately by black smoke and flames spurting upwards."

Leading Airman Gerald Cluett, Naval Airman Peter Parker and Donald Bird rushed to the scene and were later commended by Vice Admiral C. John in his Order of the Day:-

"They set off before the aircraft had actually struck the ground and without waiting for any orders. Driver Cluett drove through two closed gates and over a 3 foot high hedge bank. The aircraft was burning fiercely but without any cover from any fire fighting appliances Parker and Bird entered the fire and disconnected the oxygen, cut the harness and attempted to extricate the pilot. They discontinued their efforts only when it became obvious that the pilot was beyond their aid. Their protective clothing was badly damaged in the fire. The entire crew showed great initiative and I commend them for their courage and prompt action."

Two days after the crash an inquest was held at which Commander E.M. Brown stated that the pilot had been carrying out an aerobatic manoeuvre when he appeared to misjudge the recovery causing the aircraft to crash. The North Pembrokeshire Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.

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