Dr. Norman Mitchell of the Royal Canadian Navy poses before the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Egypt in this undated Great War-era photo. A native of Burlington, Ontario, Mitchell was born in 1896 and had been attending medical school at the University of Toronto when WWI erupted. He enlisted in the Navy, where he served as a doctor.

Following the war, he set up a practice in Burlington, Ontario, where he was “considered a real asset to the community,” says his neice, Ruth Borthwick, who adds that Norman was also beloved by his extended family. “He had a good sense of humour, and always had lots of chuckles for the kids.” Mitchell practiced medicine for 40 years. He died in 1969.

Do you have an ancestor who served in the Great War? Submit their story and it could be included on this Great War Album website.