Walter Noble

Walter Noble
Born 15 October 1884
Creeting St. Peter, Suffolk
Died Unknown
Allegiance England
Service/branch Infantry; aviation
Rank Lieutenant
Unit Essex Regiment, No. 20 Squadron RAF
Awards Distinguished Flying Cross

Lieutenant Walter Noble DFC was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.[1]

Early life

Walter Noble was originally from Stowmarket, Suffolk.[2] He was a tea planter in India from 1911 through 1915. However, in January 1913, Noble was named co-executor in a will, and still gave his address as Stowmarket.[3]

World War I

Noble originally served with the Essex Regiment, enlisting about 1916. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in September 1917. Noble scored his first two victories on 25 January 1918. Among his following victories, he won three times on 30 June 1918. He gained nine of his victories while manning the guns in the back seat of David John Weston and a couple of others as a gunner for Paul Iaccaci. On 2 July 1918, he finished his string with his twelfth victory. His final tally was five German fighter planes destroyed and seven driven down out of control.[4]

Honors and awards

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

2nd Lt. Walter Noble (formerly Essex Regt.).

A skilful and determined observer who has been most successful in destroying enemy machines, very often when in superior strength to his own formation.[5]

Sources of information

  1. Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I. p. 92.
  2. Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I. p. 91.
  3. (The London Gazette, 24 January 1913) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28684/pages/621 Retrieved on 13 March 2010.
  4. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/noble.php Retrieved on 13 March 2010.
  5. (Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 August 1918) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30827/supplements/9202 Retrieved on 13 March 2010.

Further reading

With a Bristol fighter Squadron. Walter Noble. Publisher A. Melrose, 1920.


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