Image: Medical notes from Norval’s military service file. She suffered from mumps and had a tonsillectomy in 1917. (Library & Archives Canada)
Rank: Nursing Sister
Branch: Canadian Army Medical Corps
Norval was born in Perth, Ontario on March 15, 1891. She enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1917 and served in the following places:
-No. 11 Canadian General Hospital (Moore Barracks, Shorncliffe, England) May 1917 – July 1918
-No. 8 Canadian Stationary Hospital (Charmes, Rouen, and Dunkerque) Aug 1918 – April 1919
-Canadian Army Medical Corps Casualty Company (England) April/May 1919
In August of 1919 Norval returned to Canada. Her father and brothers had come up to Sexsmith during her time overseas, and she joined them here. Here she met and married Gordon McDonald; their land was located at 13-74-5-W6 and 21-74-4-W6. Norval died on May 2, 1988 and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver.
Sources: Wagon Trails Grown Over p. 310
- Officers’ Declaration Paper
- Lives of the First World War profile
- Canadian Great War Project profile
- Find A Grave
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.