S12250
LOUTIT, Noel Medway
| Service Numbers: | Commissioned Officer, Officer, VX102781 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 September 1914, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Brigadier |
| Last Unit: | 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | St Peters, South Australia, 8 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Norwood Public School, South Australia and the South Australian School of Mines and Industries. |
| Occupation: | Engineer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Lynton, South Australia, 9 August 1983, aged 89 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Cremation - ashes -Charles Newman Gardens, Row RB, Path CN10 |
| Memorials: | Norwood Primary School Honour Board, SA Caledonian Society Soldiers Memorial WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Commissioned Officer, 10th Infantry Battalion, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: |
Embarked
AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' |
|
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 26 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, Commissioned Officer, 50th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm | |
| 28 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 2 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Major, Commissioned Officer, 50th Infantry Battalion, Noreuil | |
| 2 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Mont St Quentin / Peronne |
Peacetime
| 9 Jan 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
|---|
World War 2 Service
| 25 Jul 1942: | Involvement Brigadier, VX102781 | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jul 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Colonel, VX102781 |
Awarded the Distinguished Service Order
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, in laying out the jumping off tape under heavy shell and rifle fire. later, he took forward a machine gun and platoon, and opened a surprise burst of fire into the enemy, thus relieving the pressure at a critical time. He did not leave the line until the whole front was secure.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169
Date: 4 October 1917
Submitted 4 April 2015 by Steve Larkins
Biography
Prior to enlisting in the AIF in 1914 Noel Medway Loutit had been studying engineering and was a junior officer in the South Australia Militia. He enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant and as an original member of the 10th Battalion (later referred to as the Fighting 10th) landed at Gallipoli as part of the covering force on 25 April 1915.
As a 21 year old platoon commander he and his men were among the earliest ashore and when to their great surprise they saw a man stumbling about on their flank they thought him to be a Turk. Fortunately the man, Major Miles Fitzroy Beevor OC A Company, who had earlier fallen out of a boat, was recognised by Loutit, who quickly stopped his men from bayoneting the 'lost Turk'.
Whilst some of the covering force assembled at Plugges Plateau after the landing, Loutit, in accordance with the commanders intent, pushed inland with some of his men, chasing Turks through Shrapnel Valley, then up the steep hillside to the second ridge. Loutit was for many years thought to have gotten furthest inland until Charles Bean on his Gallipoli Mission after the war discovered two of the battalion's scouts, Lance Corporal Philip Robin and Private Arthur Blackburn (later VC) had actually reached Scrubby Knoll from where they could see the Dardanelles; these two men got further inland on the first day than anyone else did during the Gallpoli campaign.
The point about Loutit's achievement was that he was in command of a formed body of troops rather than just two individuals not in any way intended to deprecate Blackburn and Robin's exploits. Notwithstanding that, they all had to withdraw in the face of overwhelming odds as a Turkish formation advanced towards them.
After Gallipoli, Loutit was transferred to the newly formed 50th Battalion and appointed adjutant. At the Battle of Noreuil on 2 April 1917, the 50th Battalion sustained heavy casualties from machine guns enfilading their advance. Loutit, who was by that time a Major and the Battalion second in commmand, had moved forward at the request of the CO to get a better appreciation of what was happening to relay to Battalion HQ. On his own initiative, he turned the battle. He rounded up a scratcch force of unwounded men from the remnants of Lieutenant Esson Rule's Platoon (he had been killed as Loutit arrived), a Vickers Machine gun detachment and an ammunition carrying party. They made their way up a sunken road and outflanked a large force of Germans intent on destroying C Company. Loutit small force took them from behind and stopped them in their tracks dissapating an attack at a critical point in the battle. Though small of stature, Loutit's reputation as a combat leader was further enhanced by this audacious act, demonstrating excellent tactical 'nouse' and leadership.(1)
He later rose to command the 45th Battalion in September 1918 as a temporary Lieutenant Colonel but after being wounded in action later that month was evacuated to England for treatment.
Upon his return to the front in December 1918 he was promoted Lieutenant Colonel and commanded the 45th Battalion until demobilisation began.
During WW2 Loutit served as commander of No. 11 Central Australia Lines of Communication of C Sub area.
(1) Bean Vol III pp 217-218
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