Pte
Timothy Francis Noonan
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1891 |
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Place of birth: Violet Town, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Tamleugh West, Via Arcadia, Victoria, Australia |
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Roman Catholic |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 3433 |
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Enlistment date: 02/10/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 57th Bn. (Last known unit) — Australian Infantry, 59th Bn. |
Information about death
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Date of death: 25/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Glencorse Wood, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 26 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 29M |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Enlistment place | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Timothy Francis Noonan was the son of John and Catherine Noonan. He was born around 1891 in Violet Town, Victoria, Australia. Timothy worked as a labourer. He lost both his parents at a young age. Not only Timothy Francis, but also his brothers Matthew Thomas and John Joseph joined the Australian army. Timothy enlisted in October 1915 and joined the 57th Battalion (15th Brigade, 5th Division).
Timothy was killed on 25 September 1917, ahead of the Battle of Polygon Wood, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. At Zouave Wood, the British Middlesex Regiment lost ground, leaving the 58th Battalion's flank unprotected. The 60th Battalion had been sent for reinforcements and the 57th Battalion, to which Timothy belonged, also had to move towards Zouave Wood, near Hooge. From there, at 8am and 10.15am, a group of two officers and 100 other ranks were sent towards Glencorse Wood with equipment. One company of the 57th Battalion was ordered to move towards Clapham Junction for reporting, followed a bit later by the entire remaining group of the battalion. From Clapham Junction, one company was sent in support of the 60th Battalion towards the front line. Around 7pm, the battalion was ordered to recover the unprotected flank of the 58th Battalion and link up with British troops. On their way from Clapham Junction towards the front line, they passed a series of Scottish posts which started near Fitzclarence Farm. They followed those posts almost to the line of Glencorse Wood. Around 7.50pm, one company dug in along the line of the Scottish posts so that they could protect the 58th Battalion's flank. Three other companies dug in east of Glencorse Wood. Two of those three companies were ordered around 11pm to carry ammunition from Glencorse Dump towards the front line. The attack on 26 September, later known as the Battle of Polygon Wood, was to be carried out by the 59th Battalion, 31st Battalion and 29th Battalion.
During their entire advance on 25 September, the 57th Battalion was heavily shelled by a German barrage, which caused many casualties. 16 men got killed, 18 went missing and 46 got wounded. 23-year-old Timothy Francis Noonan was also killed. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate (panel 29, stone M). Two months earlier, on 15 June 1917, the Noonan family had already lost Timothy's older brother John Joseph. He is buried in Kandahar Farm Cemetery.
Timothy was killed on 25 September 1917, ahead of the Battle of Polygon Wood, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. At Zouave Wood, the British Middlesex Regiment lost ground, leaving the 58th Battalion's flank unprotected. The 60th Battalion had been sent for reinforcements and the 57th Battalion, to which Timothy belonged, also had to move towards Zouave Wood, near Hooge. From there, at 8am and 10.15am, a group of two officers and 100 other ranks were sent towards Glencorse Wood with equipment. One company of the 57th Battalion was ordered to move towards Clapham Junction for reporting, followed a bit later by the entire remaining group of the battalion. From Clapham Junction, one company was sent in support of the 60th Battalion towards the front line. Around 7pm, the battalion was ordered to recover the unprotected flank of the 58th Battalion and link up with British troops. On their way from Clapham Junction towards the front line, they passed a series of Scottish posts which started near Fitzclarence Farm. They followed those posts almost to the line of Glencorse Wood. Around 7.50pm, one company dug in along the line of the Scottish posts so that they could protect the 58th Battalion's flank. Three other companies dug in east of Glencorse Wood. Two of those three companies were ordered around 11pm to carry ammunition from Glencorse Dump towards the front line. The attack on 26 September, later known as the Battle of Polygon Wood, was to be carried out by the 59th Battalion, 31st Battalion and 29th Battalion.
During their entire advance on 25 September, the 57th Battalion was heavily shelled by a German barrage, which caused many casualties. 16 men got killed, 18 went missing and 46 got wounded. 23-year-old Timothy Francis Noonan was also killed. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate (panel 29, stone M). Two months earlier, on 15 June 1917, the Noonan family had already lost Timothy's older brother John Joseph. He is buried in Kandahar Farm Cemetery.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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John Joseph Noonan
Brother |
Sources 4
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15th Australian Infantry Brigade, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/15/19). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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57th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/74/20). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Ellis A.D., The Story of the Fifth Australian Division, (Londen,Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd, N.N.), 240-245. Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, NOONAN T.F.). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1600055 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=0d1902f6-b5d9-4301-b43a-26e30bd9c6d2 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7535371 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=224796 |