George Deane Mitchell (30 August 1894 – 11 January 1961) was an Australian politician and an Independent member of theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly for a single term between 1941 and 1944.

Mitchell was born inCaltowie nearJamestown, South Australia and was the son of a railway porter. He was educated in Adelaide and worked as a clerk inTherbarton until 1914. Mitchell enlisted in theFirst Australian Imperial Force at the outbreak of World War One and served in the Middle East and France between 1914 and 1919. He reached the rank of Lieutenant and was awarded theMilitary Cross andDistinguished Conduct Medal. In the inter-war period Mitchell was a member of theCitizens' Military Forces and re-enlisted in theSecond Australian Imperial Force with the rank of Captain at the commencement of World War Two. He reached the rank of Major and commanded an amphibious landing force in theNew Guinea Campaign. Mitchell had several other occupations including potato farming inDorrigo, owning a motor garage and car sales agency and script writing forthe Australian film industry. He was an office holder in theReturned Services League.^[1]

Mitchell unsuccessfully contested the seat ofOxley as an Independent candidate at the1938 state election. He was easily defeated by theUnited Australia Party incumbent member and Minister for Local Government and Public Works,Lewis Martin.^[2] Mitchell reversed the result with a surprise victory in the landslide defeat ofAlexander Mair's conservative coalition government at the1941 election.^[3] Mitchell was on extended leave from parliament due to active war service during much of the period following the election. The parliamentary convention was that members on active service were not opposed by candidates from major parties during elections. However,Les Jordan, a member of the Country Party and two other party members stood as "Independent Country" candidates. Jordan was victorious,^[4] and immediately joined the Country Party caucus. Mitchell then retired from public life.^[5]

• 1894 births
• 1961 deaths
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
• 20th-century Australian politicians
• Australian recipients of the Military Cross
• Australian recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal

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