Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

NOACK Charles Hugh MB BS

1917- 1969

Charles Hugh Noack was born, in South Australia, on 24th February 1917. He was the only child of John Charles Noack, a prominent teacher, headmaster, and ultimately Inspector of Schools in SA, and Margaret Rachel, nee McDonald. He was educated at Adelaide High School and studied medicine, at the University of Adelaide, where he graduated MB BS in 1941. He was a resident medical officer at the RAH from 1st December 1941 until 30th April 1942. He married Dr Beatrice May Irvine, also a medical practitioner, MB BS Adel.  She was the daughter of Dr Richard Charles Irvine, a surgeon, and Alice Patricia Mary, nee Hughes, of Launceston Tasmania. Beatrice had two sisters one, Dorothy, was a medical practitioner.

Noack, at the rank of flight lieutenant, joined the RAAF Medical Branch, on 1st June 1942, and served until discharged on 18th January 1946.  Initially, he undertook the medical training course at RAAF Laverton, Victoria before being posted to 5RC in Adelaide on 20th June 1942. He was posted to 2 AOS on 3rd February 1943 and posted to No 1 EFTS, Parafield, SA, on 24th June 1943. While he was there, he commenced flying training from 1st October 1943. He was awarded his flying badge in January 1944 having learnt to fly a Wirraway. He was posted to No 6 SFTS on 10th January 1944 and No 5 SFTS on 13th February 1944, 4 ITS from 20th July 1944 and Air Crew School from 11th September 1944. He embarked, with No 78 Squadron, for Noemfoor, an island in Dutch New Guinea, on 30th November 1944; he served with the squadron in Tarakan, Borneo, returning to Australia on 29th November 1945. Posted finally to 6PD and 4PD he was discharged on 18th January 1946.

Noack joined his wife in general practice in Longford, Tasmania after the war. He was in sole charge of the Toosey Memorial Hospital in Longford, Tasmania and purchased the practice of the late Dr Hoskins.  He was concerned with the high rate of goitre in the Longford area and presented the argument to increase iodine in the salt to the Longford Council in 1947. At some point, after the war, Noack moved to Victoria and was an investigator in the Melbourne University Department of Physiology and undertook some of the pioneering work on the utility and toxicity of lithium carbonate in the treatment of mania (now known as bipolar disorder). He continued his research from the Mental Hospital, Sunbury, Victoria. His published work included the study on enuresis treated with imipramine, the use of imipramine in depression and the effect of chlordiazepoxide. Chares Hugh Noack died on 23rd August 1969 in Kew, Victoria. His wife, who died in 1980, and daughter, Sheila Caroline survived him.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2. 

Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD