George Kenneth Noble

Memorial: Chipping Sodbury - School

Regiment: Royal Air Force

Medals: 1939–45 Star, Distinguish Flying Cross, War Medal 1939–1945

Rank and number: Pilot Officer

Parents: George William Rutherford and Mary Noble.

Home address: Home address: Fairfield, West Road, Newcastle Lived: Craigmore, Halleyn Hall Road, North Wylam

Pre-war occupation: Employed in Public Works Contractor’s Department

Date of birth: 1915

Date of death: 12/01/1941

Buried/Commemorated at: Catania War Cemetery

Age: 25

Further information:

George served with 148 Squadron, Royal Air Force and was awarded these medals: War Medal 1939-1945; 1939-45 Star; Distinguished Flying Cross December 24th 1940; Mentioned in Dispatches 1941.

The son of a builder, George attended Chipping Sodbury Grammar school during 1926 then Rendcomb College in Cirencester from 1928 to 1932. He was a keen car racer and active member of a road club. He got his commission into the RAF in 1939 and had one brother also in the RAF. While in 115 squadron he was awarded the DFC for ‘meritorious service displayed in air operations over enemy country’. George was stationed with 148 squadron on Malta and was in one of 10 Wellington bombers that took part in a bombing raid on Catania aerodrome to destroy German aircraft operating from Sicily. He died on 12th January 1941 during this attack, just 19 days after receiving his DFC and is buried in Catania war cemetery.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
http://www.oldrendcombian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/RC-War-Record-Roll-of-Honour-Final-23Dec2017.pdf (page 9)
Bowman MW; The Wellington Bomber page 147