L/Cpl
Noel Worthington Farmar
Information about birth
|
Date of birth: 01/05/1895 |
|
Place of birth: Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand |
General information
|
Last known residence: Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand |
|
Profession: Shipping Clerk |
|
Religion: Church of England |
Army information
|
Country: New Zealand |
|
Force: New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Lance Corporal |
|
Service number: 12998 |
|
Enlistment date: 15/12/1915 |
|
Enlistment place: Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand |
|
Units: — New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 20/11/1917 |
|
Place of death: Butte, Polygon Wood, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.) |
|
Age: 22 |
Cemetery
|
Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: IX Row: AA Grave: 4 special memorial |
Distinctions and medals 2
|
British War Medal Medal |
|
Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place |
My story
Lance Corporal Noel Worthington Noel lived with his pregnant wife in Blenheim, New Zealand. He worked as shipping clerk when he enlisted the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion on December 15th 1915.
On 17th January 1916 he became father of a son Noel and sailed in May 1916 to Egypt and later to France.
On 6th October 1917 he got promoted as Lance Corporal.
Early in November 1917 II Anzac Corps was redeployed back into the Salient but this time south, rather than north of the Ypres-Roulers railway line. Its front ranged from Tiber for nearly 5 miles south along the key Broodseinde Ridge, in front of Polygon Wood, and down to the Reutelbeek, within a mile of the Menin Road near Gheluvelt, still held by the Germans.
On 16th November 1917 the New Zealand Division took command of the Corps right sector. Its line extended for about 1,5 miles from the salient at the Noordemdhoek through the ruins of Reutel and across the northern slopes of Cameron Covert. It was not a healthy place to be. Outposts in these two places were enfiladed from the main German defences 1000 yards or so to the east of Becelaere. The Germans also had outposts in and about the series of copses named Joiners, Journal and Judge, which culminated in the substantial Juniper Wood.
The New Zealand Rifle Brigade went to the line, with the 4th and the 1st Battalions proceeded into the front line at Reutel. The 3rd Battalion came up to Clapham Junction in support, and the 2nd Battalion to Railway Dug-outs in reserve
The headquarters of both front-line battalions of the Rifle Brigade were located in improved German tunnels in the Butte de Polygon, a huge stump-covered artificial mound in the north-eastern corner of Polygon Wood. The forward part of the sector, situated on a low plateau, was swept continuously by machine-gun fire. The whole surface of the country from the front line westward was literally disintegrated by shell-fire, and every hollow converted into a loathsome bog.
In the night of the 19th/20th November the 4th and 1st Battalions were relieved in the front line near Reutel by the 2nd and 3rd respectively. Machine-gun and artillery fire continued unabated. Headquarters being subjected to a particularly heavy bombardment on the 20th. German snipers, at first very troublesome, were now being got well under control.
It was under these circumstances that Lance Corporal Noel Worthington Farmar, 22 years old, was wounded in action on 20th November 1917. He was probably brought to the dressing post near the Butte at Polygon Wood, where he died later that day. Now he is buried in the Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood plot IX, row AA, grave 4, Special Memorial.
On 17th January 1916 he became father of a son Noel and sailed in May 1916 to Egypt and later to France.
On 6th October 1917 he got promoted as Lance Corporal.
Early in November 1917 II Anzac Corps was redeployed back into the Salient but this time south, rather than north of the Ypres-Roulers railway line. Its front ranged from Tiber for nearly 5 miles south along the key Broodseinde Ridge, in front of Polygon Wood, and down to the Reutelbeek, within a mile of the Menin Road near Gheluvelt, still held by the Germans.
On 16th November 1917 the New Zealand Division took command of the Corps right sector. Its line extended for about 1,5 miles from the salient at the Noordemdhoek through the ruins of Reutel and across the northern slopes of Cameron Covert. It was not a healthy place to be. Outposts in these two places were enfiladed from the main German defences 1000 yards or so to the east of Becelaere. The Germans also had outposts in and about the series of copses named Joiners, Journal and Judge, which culminated in the substantial Juniper Wood.
The New Zealand Rifle Brigade went to the line, with the 4th and the 1st Battalions proceeded into the front line at Reutel. The 3rd Battalion came up to Clapham Junction in support, and the 2nd Battalion to Railway Dug-outs in reserve
The headquarters of both front-line battalions of the Rifle Brigade were located in improved German tunnels in the Butte de Polygon, a huge stump-covered artificial mound in the north-eastern corner of Polygon Wood. The forward part of the sector, situated on a low plateau, was swept continuously by machine-gun fire. The whole surface of the country from the front line westward was literally disintegrated by shell-fire, and every hollow converted into a loathsome bog.
In the night of the 19th/20th November the 4th and 1st Battalions were relieved in the front line near Reutel by the 2nd and 3rd respectively. Machine-gun and artillery fire continued unabated. Headquarters being subjected to a particularly heavy bombardment on the 20th. German snipers, at first very troublesome, were now being got well under control.
It was under these circumstances that Lance Corporal Noel Worthington Farmar, 22 years old, was wounded in action on 20th November 1917. He was probably brought to the dressing post near the Butte at Polygon Wood, where he died later that day. Now he is buried in the Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood plot IX, row AA, grave 4, Special Memorial.
Sources 3
|
Austin W.S., The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, (Uckfield, The Naval and Military Press Ltd, 2007), page 251-254. Sources used |
|
Gray J.H., From the Uttermost Ends of the Earth, the New Zealand Division on the Western Front 1916-1918, (Christchurch, Willsonscott Publishing, 2010), map page 160. Sources used |
|
Gray J.H., From the Uttermost Ends of the Earth, the New Zealand Division on the Western Front 1916-1918, (Christchurch, Willsonscott Publishing, 2010), page 159 - 161. Sources used |
More information 5
|
Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=256222bb-b123-47b1-b407-5eb0871b7016 |
|
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7174293 |
|
Online Cenotaph (Auckland Museum) https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/c4684 |
|
The NZEF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=78662 |
|
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/480213 |