246540 Capt. Noel Forbes Humphreys MC.British Army 10th Btn. Tank Corps (d.27th March 1918) Noel Humphreys was born 1st December 1891 at Llangan Rectory, Bridgend, Glamorgan, the fourth son of the Rev. Henry James and Sydney Humphreys. In 1901 he was boarding at Saint Chads College, Denstone, Staffordshire, the census shows his parents and 4 siblings living in Hyde, Cheshire, the family then moved to Thornley, Vicarage, Tow Law, Co.Durham in 1903. He attended Durham Grammar School 1905-1909 and then to Armstrong College. The 1911 census shows he was living at the home of his married sister Mary and her husband Richard Howe in Sunnybrow, Willington, he was employed as a solicitors articled clerk. In August 1914 he enlisted with the Royal Engineers and served as a despatch rider. Two months later he received his commission and joined the Motor Machine Gun Services as temp 2nd Lieutenant, then promoted to Captain with 10th Battalion Tank Corps.
He was mentioned in Despatches and on 8th June 1917 was awarded the Military Cross for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. "His tank becoming stranded, he commenced to dig it out, and though wounded, he completed his task and continued in action the whole day, finally bringing his tank out of action to the rallying point".
He was severely wounded on Easter Monday 25th of March 1918 and died of his wounds on 27th of March 1918 aged 27 years, he is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France. He is remembered on the War Memorial, Tow Law, Durham, Memorial Plaque in St. Bartholomews Church, Thornley and The Memorial Cross, Thornley.
In January 1918 The Times newspaper published a story of a Patriotic family
"The Rev H.J. Humphreys, vicar of Thornley, Tow Law, Durham had five sons. Henry St. Giles Humphreys had been returning from America to enlist when he was killed on the Lousitania when it was torpedoed. John Theodore Gordon Humphreys had been to Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Indian Infantry and killed in action at Narumgombe. Captain Herbert Phillip Wynne Humphreys was an officer in the Royal Flying Corp and had been awarded a Military Cross. Owen (Aled Owain) Humphreys was serving with the Canadian Royal Flying Corps. Captain Noel Forbes Humphreys first served as a despatch rider, then in the Machine Gun Corps and had become a section commander of tanks in France." They omitted to mention the fact that his son in law Richard Howe (married to his daughter Mary Grace) was serving with the Durham Light Infantry.
Welsh Rugby's forgotten War Hero.
Noel Humphreys, the former fly-half, does not appear on the Welsh Rugby Union's Roll of Honour for war heroes, despite playing international rugby, because even though he was one of seven Welsh players on the first official British Lions tour to South Africa in 1910, he never represented Wales' national side. While still a teenager he became the youngest Welshman to play for the Lions on that tour after making his debut in a 17-0 win over Pretoria. He played for Tynedale RFC.
The Rugby Fotball Union wants to honour every rugby player who lost his life during the WWI, irrespective of country, and on 15th September 2017 unveiled a memorial, designed by the former French Grand Slam captain Jean-Pierre Rives, just outside the village of Craonnelle on land next to the Basque Memorial in the heart of the Chemin des Dames Battlefields. It is hoped that the Memorial will become the place in the World where the game of Rugby will be remembered . A Rugby Players' Book of Remembrance has been opened and The World Rugby Memorial committee wants to ensure every player is honoured and remembered.
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