Samuel Mitchell

He carried his wounded commander back under heavy enemy fire

Samuel Mitchell was born at Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire, on 8 September 1841. He joined the Royal Navy as a boy in 1857, trained in gunnery and entered HMS Harrier in 1860. He served on the Australian station and in New Zealand waters, becoming captain of the foretop.

On 29 April 1864, during the assault on Gate Pā near Tauranga, Commander Hay was mortally wounded. Mitchell disregarded the officer’s order to leave him and carried him to cover under heavy fire. He received the Victoria Cross for the rescue, presented by Sir John Young in Sydney in September 1864.

Promoted boatswain’s mate, Mitchell returned to Britain and obtained his discharge in 1865. He later settled in New Zealand, first mining and then farming near Hokitika. He married and raised a family. On 16 March 1894 he drowned while attempting to cross the Mikonui River. He was buried near Ross on the West Coast.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For his gallant conduct at the attack at Te Papa, Tauranga, on the 29th of April last, in entering the Pah with Commander Hay, and when that Officer was mortally wounded, bringing him out, although ordered by Commander Hay to leave him, and seek his own safety. This man was at the time ‘Captain of the Fore-top’ of the “Harrier,” doing duty as Captain’s Coxswain; and Commodore Sir William Wiseman brings his name to special notice for this act of gallantry.

The London Gazette of 26 July 1864, Numb. 22879, p. 3711