(Reverend) Norman Reid Mitchell

Between 1896 and 1900 Norman studied in the University of Glasgow in the Arts faculty. He lived at various addresses in Glasgow including 82 Byres Road. In his first year he took Latin and Greek, in his second Maths and Greek, in his third Latin, Logic and Greek and for his final year Honours Greek. He distinguished himself in Greek class receiving prizes throughout including a prize for “best repetition of Oedipus Tyrannus” in his second year. He graduated 17 April 1900 with a Master of Arts.

He continued his study in the faculty of Theology between 1900 and 1903. He studied Hebrew, Arabic, Church History, Divinity and Bible Criticism at junior then senior level. He was a successful student consistently top of the class in Hebrew and Divinity and in the top three pupils for all other classes. He graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity in April 1903. He received the Cleland & Rae-Wilson Gold Medal for best divinity student and the Black Theological Fellowship for best Bachelor of Divinity.

After graduating he served as assistant minister in Partick Parish and Glasgow Cathedral. 1906-1911 he was minister of Whitsome Parish Church, Berwickshire and later minister of the Steven Memorial Church, Glasgow. He resigned his position as minister of Steven Memorial Church to take holy orders in the Church of England.

In July 1915 he enlisted as a private into the Seaforth Highlanders. He was granted a temporary commission in October 1917. In December 1917 he transferred to the 20th Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant but died in the trenches near Bullecourt, France on his first tour with the battalion. He died 5th December 1917 aged 40.

He is remembered on the Ibrox Parish Church war memorial plaque, The Fettes College Roll of Honour and the University of Glasgow Roll of Honour. He is buried at Noreuil Australian Cemetery in Plot H.1 with the inscription “greater love hath no man than this that he laid down his life for his country”.