SA22465
SMITH, Noel
| Service Number: | 39120 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 October 1956, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Warrant Officer Class 1 |
| Last Unit: | Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) |
| Born: | Burnie, Tasmania, 25 June 1935 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Collingwood Technical School |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Died: | Stroke, Adelaide, South Australia, 6 January 2015, aged 79 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Derrick Gardens |
| Memorials: |
Peacetime
| 2 Oct 1956: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Melbourne, Victoria |
|---|
Malayan Emergency Service
| 18 Sep 1957: |
Involvement
Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 39120, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), Dates shown are approximate |
|---|
Malaysia / Indonesia Confrontation Service
| 18 Sep 1965: |
Involvement
Australian Army (Post WW2), Sergeant, 39120, 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR), Dates shown are approximate |
|---|
Vietnam War Service
| 22 Oct 1970: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Warrant Officer Class 2, 39120, Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct 1970: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Warrant Officer Class 2, 39120 | |
| 24 Jun 1990: | Discharged Australian Army (Post WW2), Warrant Officer Class 1 |
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Noel Smith served over 33 years in the Australian Regular Army and 7 years school cadets and CMF. A summary of his service is included in the photograph section.
He served three active service tours - Malaya, Malaysia/Borneo and South Vietnam. Noel served as a WO2 with the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam in South Vietnam from 22 Oct 1970 to Feb 71 with 4/54 ARVN Regt, Phu Loc, Thua Thien then Mar –Apr 71 with MAT 23,Quang Ngai, Jun71 TOC, 2nd ARVN Division, Quang Ngai and then Jul - Oct 71 , NOTT2, Phu Cat, Binh Dinh Province. RTA 21 Oct 71.
In addition to awards and citations for service with AATTV, Noel was also awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (with Bronze Star). He retired as a Warrant Officer Class One having held numerous Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) appointments and unit formation and Command level. He was perhaps most well known as RSM of the 3rd Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) at Woodside SA, from 1978-79. His last unit was HQ 4th Military District at his retirement on 24/6/1990.
He served as a Sheriff's Officer with the SA Courts Administration Authority from 1990 - 2000.
Noel was a prominent figure within the AATTV Association, the Royal Australian Regiment Association SA and the ANZAC Day Committee SA. He was appointed Honourary Regimental Sergeant Major of the RARASA. The award of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) was announced, shortly after his death, in the 2015 Australia Day Honours.
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