The son of Thomas & Mary Ann Noakes of Byron Lodge, Brighton Road, Addlestone and the Brother of Nelson William Noakes (also named on the memorial), Albert was born in Badshot Lea, Surrey in January 1894. In 1913 at the age of 19 Albert, a former Army Cadet at Brooklands, and his brother Nelson left their family in Addlestone and boarded a ship in Plymouth, Devon, bound for Melbourne and emigrated to Australia where Albert found work as a farmer.
On 30th April 1915 in Melbourne, Victoria, Albert attested in to the Australian Imperial force as Private 1713A. Albert’s medical records from when he joined his battalion show that he:
· Was 5 feet 9 ½ inches tall.
· Weighed 12 stone 8 lbs.
· Had a 36 inch chest (38½ inch expansion).
· Had a fresh complexion.
· Had blue eyes.
· Had brown hair.
· Had a small birth mark in the centre of his back.
· His religion was Presbyterian.
On 11th June 1915 Albert left the training depot in Melbourne and on the 12th June he joined the 24th Reinforcement Battalion. Four days later, on 16th June Albert embarked H.M.A.T Demosthenes bound for Gallipoli where he fought until December. On 19th September 1915 Albert was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. When he left Gallipoli in December, he embarked the ship Mudros W, bound for Egypt and on 30th December the same year Albert reverted to the ranks as Private at his own request. The 10th January 1916 found Albert in Alexandria, where he remained until 20th March when his battalion joined the British Expeditionary Force in Marseilles, France. July 1916 Albert was in B Company, 7 platoon near Pozieres fighting in the battle of the Somme where he was wounded on 27th July and subsequently listed as missing in action on 31st July. A report made to the Red Cross by L/Cpl W.H. Marshall of 5 platoon gives a good account of this. “I knew him personally, he was a great friend of mine. We went into Kay’s sap, Pozieres, on 26th July, 1916. Next day, when the Germans were bombing us very heavily, one of the shells which burst in the trench badly wounded Noakes and others. I saw him and several others lying wounded in the trench. He was so badly hurt that he could not move. They were doing all they could for the wounded but the stretcher bearers were so very badly knocked about themselves that little could be done for them then. I did not see Noakes again but I am morally certain that he could not have survived. We left that sap the following night”. Private E Bannister also of the 5th platoon added “Saw this man killed at Pozieres about 27th July. Marshall was with the battalion when I left it on 1st March” Albert’s body was not found and at a court of enquiry on 18th October 1917, over a year after he is believed to have died, Albert was officially declared to have been killed in action with the date of his death being recorded as 28th July 1916; Albert was 22 years old.
The Sydney Morning Herald of 18th may 1929 reported the finding of Albert’s body, at Beaumont Hamel, just over six miles away from where he was last seen alive. The newspaper also printed an extract from the battalion’s war history; “Those of the 24th in “K” trench were murderously hit. Except at its northern end, near the cemetery, this trench had no deep dugouts and the troops were sheltered in small recesses – some of them dug by the Germans – in the trench side. They had no duty but to remain there hour after hour. The position being considered unnecessarily crowded 100 men were eventually withdraw, the remainder could do nothing except sit in the trench waiting to be killed or buried by the collapsing banks and then be dug out and buried again. Some tried to occupy their minds by playing cards……. So great was the carnage in the 24th that for months afterwards even when “K” sap had been almost obliterated, its course could easily be traced by half buried bodies with the red and white colours of that battalion still showing on their arms”.
No explanation has ever been given as to how Albert was last seen mortally wounded at Pozieres and yet his body was discovered 12 years later at Beaumont Hamel, more than six miles away. Albert was re-buried at Sierre Road Number 2 Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.
Both Albert and his brother Nelson died on the same day, 28 July 1916.
Battle Lines of the Somme Showing Allied Gains, July 1916
Beaumont Hamel where Albert Died is shown in Blue and
Pozieres Where Albert's Body Was Found is in Red
Confirmation of Albert's Death