MITTELL, Ernest Edward
NAME MITTELL Ernest Edward
RANK Flight Sergeant / Air Observer 71725
SQUADRON RAF No. 22 Operational Training Unit
Group 91 RAF Bomber Command
Wellesbourne Mountford in Warwickshire
Squadron DD LT OX XN Born August 7, 1919 Residence Clinton Died July 6, 1942 22 years 11 months Cemetery Hereford Cemetery - Hereford - Herefordshire - England
A 5640
Parents Mr. Edward and Annie Mittell - Clinton
Ernest was born in Clinton on August 7, 1919 and while he grew up he enjoyed swimming, hunting and
fishing, baseball and basketball. His hobbies were model airplane building. His schooling was all in Clinton with public school 1925-33 and high school 1933-36 and while in high school he took a correspondence course from the National Radio School 1935-37. Once out of school his employment was repairing radios 1937-39. The family was United and would have attended Wesley Willis or Ontario Street United. He was a volunteer in the Militia with the Middlesex and Huron Regiment - "D" Company for a short period in 1939.
Canada
On August 20, 1940 Ernest travelled to Toronto and he enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force. At that time he stood 5' 9" tall and he weighed 131 pounds. He had a fair complexion with brown eyes and light brown hair. He received the rank if Aircraftsman 2. At the end of the month he was posted to Trenton where he stayed until November 10. His next posting was to No. 1 Initial Training School where he received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman based in Toronto and he was here until December 8 and at that time he was posted to No. 9 Elementary Flying Training School in St Catharines. While here he was 86 out of 198 men with an average of 86%. At this time it was recommended he become a Navigator or Observer. On January 23, 1941 he was posted to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto and he was here until March 30 and while here earned his Observers Badge and at that time he went to No. 5 Air Observer School in Winnipeg. It had been determined that he was better suited for aircrew training. His next posting on July 31 took him to No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School in MacDonald - Manitoba. He received the rank of Sergeant while posted here. He was posted to No. 1 Central Navigiation School in River - Manitoba on September 3. While here he was 5 in a class of 41 and he had an 80% average. His next posting was to the Atlantic coast to RCAF No. 31 Operational Training Unit on October 16. 1942 began with Sergeant Mittell still at No. 31 OTU but on January 23 he was posted to "Y" Depot in Halifax in preparations for going overseas. On February 8 he transferred to the RAF Training Pool. The following day he embarked from Canada and arrived in the United Kingdom on February 19. He then reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre in Bournemouth on February 20. While training here he obtained the rank of Flight Sergeant. He remained here until he was posted to RAF No. 3 Air Observer School on April 14 and approximately a month later on May 11 he received a posting to RAF No. 22 Operational Training Unit. Upon his arrival at No. 22 Operational Training Unit, they would have spent approximately the first three
weeks on the ground forming crews for the aircraft. This apparently was done by putting all the men in a
large room, giving them some beer and leaving them alone to decide who would be with what crew. As well the first weeks at OTU were spent on the ground and becoming familiar with the Wellington bombers. They practiced how to evacuate the aircraft, did parachute training and learned how to inflate and get into a dinghy. Then the actual flying in the Wellington would begin seven days a week, day and night for eight weeks. They practiced circuits around the airfield, landings, air to air gunnery, cross-country navigation missions, and bombing over land and sea. At the end of their eight weeks they were sent on a mission over occupied Europe to drop leaflets.
The Wellingtons had been in a squadron but were now replaced probably with the Halifax or Lancaster and
most were worn out and very weary. Their engines were tired and instead of the usual overhaul at 240
hours, they went to 320 hours. These aircraft had to take off at maximum power and the result was a large
loss of life and equipment.
On July 6th, F/S Mittell and his crew in Wellington Mk 1c R 1465 LT Y were carrying practice bombs and
reconnaissance flares when it flew into very low cloud and crashed at 2,400’ and just feet from the summit
of a mountain at Cerric in Breconshire. The time was 12:30 am. The location was Brecon Beacons in Wales.
Flight Sergeant Mittell suffered fatal multiple injuries along with burns. The pilot made the decision to make a descent from the cruising altitude of 10,000 ' and then try to get a fix on his position.
• The Wellington was a medium bomber with twin machine guns in the nose and tail and able to carry a 4,500
lb. bomb load. It was slow and its ceiling was low and it was not at all suitable for daylight missions, but
instead proved an excellent night bomber.
His mother Annie received the Memorial Cross along with the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.
Ernest is honoured and remembered on the Clinton Cenotaph and on the Memorial Plaque of the Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 140 as well as on the Memorial Plaque of Clinton Collegiate. He is also honoured and remembered at the RCAF Bomber Command Memorial and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
