Francis John Goulburn (Frank) NOBLE

NOBLE, Francis John Goulburn

Service Number: 956
Enlisted: 23 March 1915
Last Rank: Lieutenant
Last Unit: 20th Infantry Battalion
Born: Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia, February 1888
Home Town: Marrickville, Marrickville, New South Wales
Schooling: Fort Street Boys School, Sydney, Australia
Occupation: Accountant
Died: Killed in action, Mont St. Quentin, France, 31 August 1918
Cemetery: Hem Farm Military Cemetery, Hem-Monacu. France
Plot I, Row K, Grave No. 15. A BIG AUSTRALIAN, A GOOD SON A GRAND MAN WE WILL MEET HIM LATER ON
Memorials: Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

23 Mar 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 956, 20th Infantry Battalion
25 Jun 1915: Involvement Corporal, 956, 20th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: ''
25 Jun 1915: Embarked Corporal, 956, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Sydney
13 Aug 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant
6 Jul 1918: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 20th Infantry Battalion

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Lieut. Noble was a Goulburn native, and was given Goulburn as one of his names in honour of his native city.

His father noted on his roll of honour form that “Frank Noble enlisted in March 1915; sailed from Australia, June 1915, as a Corporal. He landed at Gallipoli, August 1915, as a Sergeant. Wounded, August 1916, at Pozieres, France; gained his commission at Military School, Tidworth, England, in August 1917. Sailed for France and the front in April 1918; killed in action 31 August 1918.”

His battalion commander wrote to his family, “Lieut. Francis John Goulburn Noble, was killed by a stray machine gun bullet at about 5 a.m. on the morning of the 31st August last, off Clery, and during the attack on Mont St. Quentin. His body was brought from the line and buried in a military cemetery on the banks of the Somme.

Your brother's work with the unit was of the highest order. He had endeared himself to all ranks, and his loss will be keenly felt by the unit. All officers and men of the battalion join with me in offering the deepest sympathy in the loss of so fine a brother and soldier. -Yours faithfully. J. H. McDonald, Commander 20th Battalion AIF.”

He had a brother who also served, 3366 Pte Richard Lyle Noble, 6th Light Horse, who died of tuberculosis in the Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, 16 August 1927.

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