Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas Nicholas Rowe Noble

Thomas Nicholas Rowe Noble was born in Ki Ki, South Australia to Sarah Anne Noble and William Noble in 1889.  Thomas was one of six children in his family, which included a brother named Will, himself and 4 sisters named Annie, Katie, Edith, and Elizabeth. Thomas and his family were a part of the Church of England and lived at 81 Crystal Street Broken Hill.

Thomas enlisted for the Australian Imperial Force on the 10th of February 1916 in his home town of Broken Hill. At the time, he was a single man working as a labourer. He enlisted at the age of 26 and a half, with his mother as his next of kin.  Thomas’ medical examination on 9 February 1916 reports that he measured 5 feet 6 inches and 136 pounds (171cm and 61kg), which was about average for his time.  Noble was described as having a fresh complexion, brown hair and perfect 6/6 vision in both his blue eyes.   

5 days after enlistment, Noble was appointed to the B Company, 2nd Depot Battalion for training at the Mitcham Army Camp, where he was trained for just over a month. He embarked on the HMAT Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916, to eventually make his way to France.

Noble arrived in England with the 16th Reinforcements some time between March and June 1916. On 28 June 1916, he was seen marching in the 9:30am parade, caught unshaven. On 9 August 1916, Noble proceeded overseas to France, and three days later marched in the commune of Étaples. He and the 16th reinforcements joined the 10th Battalion on the Western Front on 23 August 1916.  At this time, the 10th battalion was building new trenches near Pozieres, where just the day before, the Australian infantry had suffered 120 casualties through the heavy shelling, machine guns and trench warfare of the enemy. 

By the night of the 19th/20th September 2017, the 10th Battalion had moved from Pozieres to Ypres in southern Belgium. The 10th Battalion was moving “through sleeting rain” at nearly midnight, to lead the advance and gain ground for the Allied forces.  This tactic was known as “Storming Troops”, for which Noble and his team were recognised as having morale “higher than that of an ordinary trained company and their sense of duty rending them as an invaluable asset”. (AWM4 23/27/23 – September 1917, Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1914-1918 war pg45-49, accessed 23/3/19 https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1341855)

Thomas and his comrades were gassed, gunned and shelled heavily, with over 140 casualties taken in this manoeuvre.  Noble himself was taken from the field by the Australian Field Ambulance with a shrapnel wound to his right knee. He was admitted to the Canadian casualty clearing station, and later sent to England for treatment. 

On 1 October 1917, Noble was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Netley, England. His symptoms included a slight fluid on his knee, and it is reported that he was treated with massage. By 31 December 1917, after 3 months in hospital, Thomas was discharged and sent to Hurdcott Training Camp.

He progressed to Longbridge, Deverill on the 3rd of July 1918, which was a compulsory stop to obtain clearance from the Australian Imperial Forces to return to the battle front.  It was on the 4th of July 1918 that Noble was considered fit to return to battle.  Noble would proceed overseas to France via Folkstone. On 13 July 1918, Thomas returned to his Battalion ex-wounded.

On 11 August 1918, the B and C companies of the 10th Battalion formed attacking parties to capture the ‘blue line,’ which was a tactical line near Crepey Wood by the River Somme in France on the Western Front. Fighting commenced at 4am, as the battalion attacked from the trenches in waves. 4 machine guns and 4 tanks were a part of this attack, the tanks aiming to clear up the Bavarian machine gun nests and allow the battalion to advance. Noble’s casualty form states that he was killed in action on this day. He died at age 29 after 2 and a half years’ service.

Noble’s body was never found; however, he is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Somme, France, along with 2,144 other Commonwealth servicemen and women of the first World War.  He is also remembered today at the Broken Hill War Memorial in New South Wales. Thomas Noble’s mother received his memorial plaque in December 1922, and his Victory Medal in February 1923.

Thomas Noble and his Anzac Spirit

All the servicemen and women who contributed to the war showed the qualities involved in ANZAC spirit, and Thomas Noble was no different. The bravery shown by enlisting for the Australian Imperial Force was a courageous act in itself, as was the part he played as an Australian soldier and all the acts of bravery this entailed. Noble and his battalion were involved in the capture of the ‘blue line’ near Crepey Wood, where the battalion attacked in waves. Noble would have known of the high risk of death involved in this, but went forward to protect his country anyway. He gave his life for the freedoms of the people in his country, showing great courage and patriotism. The work of Thomas and all the Australian soldiers around him has led to protect the freedoms we have today, and so their spirit and courage should be acknowledged. Noble’s willingness to serve his country to protect the rights and freedoms of others should be admired.