Noel Edward Signal by Josh

By Joshua

 He was champion dog trialer but the newspapers said it was someone else and changed it. Noel’s father was an influence on the farm and throughout his childhood.

 When Noel went away to war he was awarded several medals; The 1939-45 Star, the Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Service Medal

 Name: Noel Edward Signal Date of birth: 6th November 1919 Place of birth: Fielding’s Hawkes Bay Date of death: 20th May 1983 aged 63 Place of death: Hamilton Waikato

 I choose Noel Signal because he’s my Great Grandfather and he was a sniper in the Pacific during WW2. He went ahead of all the soldiers and trucks and shot the Japs off one by one. I am also interested in what he did during his life time.

 Noel grew up in Woodville, the son of a Dairy farmer. He attended Woodville Primary and secondary school(s) until the age of 14 when He sat matriculation exams and passed. He then worked for his father on the farm until 18. He then went droving with his eldest brother Howard and his father bringing sheep and cattle from Hawkes Bay to Manawatu and the Taranaki.

 WW2 broke out in 1939 and with all bright minded men he enlisted for the army at Pahiatua. He went to the Pacific Islands just after his 21st birthday. He served in the 36th battalion and came home in 1946. After the war, returned soldiers were given the chance to either purchase a farm or take £500. Noel took the money

 Six months after the war finished in 1945. His brother Morton (Mort) was found alive with the Italian underground. Much to my Grandfather’s surprise, when Mort got home in early 1946 they both got horribly drunk. Noel married Patricia Nicholson on the second of November 1946 and they share milked (milking 60 cows by hand) at Midhurst in Taranaki where their first 2 children were born. In 1953 the family moved to Rewa Rewa, East of Otorohanga where my Grandmother was born. In 1954 Noel broke his foot when a horse rolled on it and was off work for a couple of weeks. Later that year the family moved North of Auckland to a place called Maungataroto. A short while later he got a job as head shepherd on a lands and survey block at Mamaranui, half way between Dargaville

 and the Waipoua forest. After a short time there he then got a job as manager of the Waipoua lands and survey block right next to the Waipoua forest. When the family moved to the Waipoua forest there was 1 house, 1 small woolshed and 5,000 acres of undeveloped land for him to break in (clearing the trees). When he left the farm in 1964 all the land had been cleared, there were 4 houses, a modern woolshed and a staff of 5. The farm could carry 10,000 sheep and several hundred cattle. Late in 1964 Noel decided that he wanted to go back to milking cows again and he got a job as a 39% share milkier at Ruawai just South of Dargaville. That job lasted a year; he then got another 39% share milking job at Teka Honga South West of Tuakau. He was there for 3 years. Wanting to go back to sheep farming he then got a job with the department of Moari affairs in Taupo. That block was called Wairaki. He was then just a shepard. Noel had hourses that he loved. In his spare time he competed in dog trials.

 A short while later he was offered the head sherpard job on another block at Reparoa. He didn’t stay there long before he was offered a job back at Taupo right beside the Aratiatia Dam (near Taupo). After 2 years there he left that job for a job on a sheep station at Parawera South East of Te Awamutu. In 1970, he decided it was time to retire from farming, he and my Great Grandmother moved to Te Awamutu where he worked for the Borough Council until his death in 1983.

 (Right) a watch given to Noel for his 21st birthday from his parents. (Below) Noel and Patricia at the 36th battalion dinner.

1919 to 1983

Noel Edward Signal by Josh

by r2teach on Dec 22, 2011

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Noel Edward Signal by Josh — Presentation Transcript