In 1911 Noel was 12 years old, he was born in Grantham on 24th December 1898. Home in 1911 was 55a St Leonard’s Street. Here he lived with his widowed mother, Mary Elizabeth (nee Clarke ) Mitchell, his 16 year old sister, Janet Letitia May also born in Grantham and younger brother, William Leslie Mitchell born in 1906 in Stamford. Their mother was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. She was a boarding house keeper. There were two boarders sharing their home in 1911 including William Vick ( a Naval Pensioner).

In 1901 the family was living at 21 Harlaxton Road, Grantham with their father, Alexander Mitchell, a commercial clerk. He was born in 1870 in Scotland. Noel’s parents were married in Boston in 1892. His mother was living in Grantham Lincolnshire in 1891. Here she was a barmaid at The Barley Mow in Rycraft Street, Grantham.

During the war Noel enlisted into the Royal Navy (Royal Naval Volunteer Regiment 2nd Reserve Battalion) on 7th August 1917. Able Seaman N.A. Mitchell (R/5781) was drafted into Hawke Battalion, RND, British Expeditionary Force on 29th April 1918. He was posted to Belgium. On 17th August 1918 he was admitted to the military hospital in Wimereux with broncho pneumonia. He was transferred back to England on the ‘Pieter de Conick’ ( a Belgian hospital ship) and admitted to the Reading War Hospital and then the hospital on Crownhill Barracks, South Devon.

Following furlough (30th November – 9th December, 1918) he was demobilised from Harrowby Camp, Grantham on 26th December 1918. The date of his discharge was 23rd January 1919. He was awarded the British and Victory Medals.