Visitors Book belonging to Brigadier Nigel Griffith Amedroz Noble, GM,

MC (95493) and his wife, Leonie Elise Noble MBE (née Hammond
Chambers)
From http://70brigade.newmp.org.uk/wiki/Noble_Nigel_Griffith_Amedroz_Major_95493:
M.i.D. 6/4/1944
M.i.D. 11/10/1945 (Middle East)
M.C. 21/12/1944 (Normandy)
Date of birth 4/6/1919
Unit Emergency Commission as a 2/Lt in the Black Watch 1/7/1939. Posted 1 TS, Attended Small Arms
Course 3/40. Posted to join B.E.F. 1/4/1940. Posted 1st Bn Black Watch - date not yet known. Commissioned
in the Regular Army. Retired 12/10/1970.
A Coy, Duty Officer. Joined Brigade 1/2/1940. Promotions W/S Lt 1/1/1941. T/Capt. T/Major. Captain
1/7/1946. Major 1/9/1952. Lt Col 28/2/1961. Colonel 16/4/1964. Brigadier 31/12/1966. Wounded 10/4/1940
and 4/6/1940. 13/8/1944. Died 21/2/1997.
Home address: Emsworth, Hants. Son of Frederick Burnaby Noble and Elsie Mackintosh Harnam. Marriage
to Leonie E. Hammond-Chambers, registered Q4 1950, Uckfield, Sussex.
Major Noble was awarded the Military Cross in 1944 while serving with 1st Battalion, The Black Watch.
Citation (WO 373/49/720 in TNA):
"During this Battalion's attack on the woods South East of ST. SYLVAIN during the night of 11/12 August
1944 the Company under the command of this Officer was set the difficult task of advancing for some
distance through and clearing a large wood. They successfully accomplished this task thanks to the
outstanding skill and determination with which Major Noble led and organised them in this task.
Throughout the night, he showed considerable courage in leading them under heavy Spandau fire and
during the subsequent re-organisation under intense shelling and mortaring his cheerful and resolute
bearing were an inspiration to all ranks. His Company took about 30 prisoners as well as about a dozen
Spandaus. Had the objective not been so rapidly and successfully captured under his skilful and courageous
leadership the whole operation might have been prejudiced and very heavy casualties would have resulted."
The Citation was put forward by the CO of 1st Black Watch and approved by the Brigadier of 154th Infantry
Brigade, Major-General Rennie of 51st (Highland) Division, the Lt General commanding 1 Corps, Lt General
Crerar commanding 1st Canadian Army and finally Field Marshal Montgomery of 21st Army Group.
https://theblackwatch.co.uk/collections/officers-mess-of-1bw-taken-in-berlin-may-1956/
Officers Mess of 1BW taken in Berlin, May 1956
[Photo not available] – several of the people named have signed the visitors’ book.
back row: 2Lt I C McRae, 2Lt A J Woolfe-Murray, 2Lt P D J Allen, 2Lt C T Scott-Dempster, 2Lt H J Arbuthnott,
2Lt D H Hunter; 2nd row: 2Lt A D Ogilvie, 2Lt A S Templteon, 2Lt A C Gilroy, 2Lt D G Rennie, 2Lt I M M
Barlow, 2Lt I C Gilroy, 2Lt R A Adam, 2Lt R S Hollins, 2Lt I R Cowper, 2Lt T Neville; 3rd row: Lt R L Grant, Capt
J Crossley, Lt William Richard Dudgeon, Capt R J Haw, Capt John Neil Buchanan Baillie-Hamilton, 2Lt Dudley
Geoffrey Stewart-Smith, 2Lt Ewan Duncan Cameron, Capt Adam Brampton Douglas Gurdon, Lt Campbell
Moulden Parker, Capt John Graham Moncrieff, 2Lt Giles Hugh Le Maitre, Capt J S McIvor; front row: Capt
Earle William Nicoll, Maj Edward Laurence Trotter, Maj Claud MacBeth Moir, Maj Nigel Griffith Amedroz
Noble, Capt Ian Ranald Critchley, Lt Col Henry Conyers Baker-Baker, Maj John Castles Montieth, Maj Peter
Gordon Buchanan, Maj Donald Scott MacDonald, Maj Gordon Wolseley Gillies, Capt Claude Alexander
MacDonald-Gaunt.
Harold E. Raugh, Wavell in the Middle East, 1939–1941: A Study in Generalship, Brassey's (UK) Ltd; 1st English
Ed edition (31 Dec. 1993)

The Tatler - Wednesday 16 July 1941

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12074764.Nigel_Noble/
The Herald, 1 March 1997
Brigadier Nigel Noble, Black Watch commander; born June 4, 1919, died February 21, 1997
BRIGADIER Nigel Noble, who received the Military Cross for his services to the Black Watch during the
Second World War, has died aged 77.
One of the old military school, he was a perfectionist who demanded the same high standards from those
around him as he set for himself. A strong disciplinarian, he could often seem foreboding to younger
soldiers, but those who knew him found a warm and compassionate side.
Born in Havant, Hampshire, he was one of five sons to be commissioned into Highland Regiments, although
his father was a sailor. After attending Sandhurst, where he was one of the last officers to be trained before
the outbreak of war, he began his lifelong association with the Black Watch when he joined the 1st battalion
in 1939.
While serving in France with the British Expeditionary Force, he displayed the resilience and courage that
were to be the hallmarks of his career. In 1940, he recovered from a serious leg injury at Maginot. He
returned to action with the Highland Division and went out to North Africa where he fought under
Montgomery at El Alamein in 1942. After the desert campaign, he fought in Sicily and took part in the Allied
landings at Normandy.
His leadership of B Company earned him the Military Cross.
He is survived by his wife, Buzz, and step-sons, Alex and Alistair.
https://gwulo.com/hong-kong-gallantry-awards
George Medal N. G. A. Noble, Ian P. Hyde (Malaya), Cheung On 1947
The Sketch - Wednesday 07 March 1945
Nigel Griffith Amedroz NOBLE. 4 Jun 1919 – 21 Feb 1997. Son of Frederick Burnaby NOBLE (16 Aug 1876 – 8
Jul 1946) and Elsie MacKintosh MACKINTOSH (29 Jul 1886 – 29 Jan 1962). Married Leonie Elise* Hammond-
Chambers (née Andrews) (1921, Shanghai, China – 23 Sep 2018) (reg Uckfield, Sussex) Q4 1950.
Siblings
[1] Charles Anthony Hay MacKintosh NOBLE MC (20 Mar 1912 – Nov 2004). Married Mary Neville SMITH
(1917-1996).
[2] Frederick Babington Bridgeman NOBLE OBE (20 Feb 1913 – 1995).
[3] Allister John NOBLE MC (4 Oct 1915 – Apr 2003).
[4] James Douglas Campbell NOBLE (21 Apr 1921 – 16 Aug 2013). Married Patricia J Taylor-Young (b. 1931)
1956. Divorced 1978.
*Leonie Elise was the daughter of James Emile Andrews (abt 1886 – 12 May 1964). His address was 112
Marsham Court, London SW1 in 1949, which matches the address given in this book]. She married Robert
Rupert Hammond-Chambers 12 May 1942 (Agra, India). James Emile married Elizabeth Stevens 8 Jun 1918
(London). The signature on his marriage bond matches the signatures in this book. Elizabeth was the
daughter of Oscar William Stevens, a merchant.
Likely relatives of Leonie Elise Andrews
Louisette Alice Catherine Andrews (17 Nov 1881, Chelsea, London - 6 Oct 1979, 31 Queens Gate Terrace,
London SW7). [An Ancestry family tree suggests: Daughter of James Andrews (b. 20 Aug 1860) and Emma
Jeanne M V Laine (b. 24 May 1861). I think these are not the correct parents. She is probably the daughter
of James Andrews, banker (b. abt 1850) and Emma (b. abt 1861)].
The 1891 Census lists James Emile, b. 1886 (St Pancras, London), nephew of Alfred Haslett, b. 1845
(Woolwich, Kent), mining engineer and mining stockbroker, living at 14 St Germans Place, Kidbrooke, Kent
[now London SE3]. As at 21 Jul 2019, Zoopla values this house at £6.6m.
The 1901 Census lists James, aged 49; Emma, aged 38; Louise, aged 18; Emile, aged 15; Marguerite, aged
13; Aline, aged 9; and Yvonne, aged 6.
The 1911 Census lists James, head, married, aged 61; Emma, wife, married, aged 50; Louise, daughter, aged
28; Marguerite, daughter, aged 23; and Yvonne, daughter, aged 16. It does not list James because he was
living in Petrograd, Russia (source: Electrical Engineers Membership List, 1914-17.