Guy Victor Dunmall captured life on camera until he died. Prior to enlisting on September 11, 1915, from Toronto, he worked as a photo engraver at The Telegram and even at war he pursued his passion for photography.

Dunmall served as a corporal with the 75th Battalion and fought at the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Vimy Ridge. In September 1917, he was gassed in France and removed from active duty until the army found him work as a photographer or photographer assistant with the 75th Battalion. Lynne Grobsky, his granddaughter, believes he may have even photographed the Prince of Wales during this time.

He was promoted to sergeant in 1919 and returned to Toronto that same year. In 1924, he and his wife, Mildred Alice Locke, moved to the United States and Dunmall worked at Ad Service Engraving. They had four children — June Elva, Dorothy Ethel, Eleanor May, and Viola May.

As technology evolved, Dunmall took to video cameras as easily as he had taken to photography. He created about forty reels of home movies between 1931 and 1962 — the year before he died. “His passion for capturing life on film came from his first-hand experience with death in the war-he knew how precious life was,” said Grobsky.

Dunmall was born on November 5, 1896, in Kent County, England and emigrated to Toronto in 1912. He died August 26, 1963 and Locke died January 5, 1997.

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