Walter Noble

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

Walter Noble
Born(1884-10-15)15 October 1884
Creeting St. Peter, Suffolk
DiedUnknown
AllegianceEngland
Service/branchInfantry; aviation
RankLieutenant
UnitEssex Regiment, No. 20 Squadron RAF
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross

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 returned to England for the First World War. He 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]

Publications
  • With a Bristol Fighter Squadron. Walter Noble. Publisher A. Melrose, 1920. Reprinted by C.Chivers, 1977. ISBN 0-85997-230-5, ISBN 978-0-85997-230-7

Notes
  1. Guttman 2007, p. 92
  2. Guttman 2007, p. 91
  3. "No. 28684". The London Gazette. 24 January 1913. p. 621.
  4. "Walter Noble". The Aerodrome. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  5. "No. 30827". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 August 1918. p. 9202.

References
  • Guttman, Jon (2007). Bristol F 2 Fighter Aces of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-201-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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