Name
Noel Montagu Charles Dudley
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/10/1916
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
1st/5th Bn. (Territorial)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY
Plot I, Row A, Grave 60.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance, St James' Church Memorial, Watford Fields, St Paul’s Church Memorial, Bushey, Oxhey Village Memorial, St Matthew’s Church Roll of Honour, Oxhey
Pre War
Born in Durban, Natal, South Africa in 1896 or 1897, Noel Montagu Charles Dudley was the elder son of Francis Montagu and Margaret (née Woodhouse) Dudley. His father was a South African merchant.
His parents married 3 June 1890 at St Lawrence’s, Coppenhall, Staffs. Margaret died 6 January 1931 in Oxhey, Herts, aged 65, and was buried 9 January at St James’, Bushey, Herts; Francis died 1937 in Oxhey aged 71, and was buried 16 August, also at St James.
Noel was born 26 December 1896 or 1897 in Durban, Natal, South Africa.
By the time of the 1901 Census when Noel was 4, the family was living in Watford and he had one sibling.
Noel attended Watford Boy’s Grammar School from 1906 to 1911.
On the 1911 Census, aged 14 he still lived in Watford, with his parents and two siblings.
Wartime Service
Noel attested on 20 November 1915 at Dukes Road, London W.C. in the Territorial Force for four years’ service in the U.K: 6’1″ tall, a clerk in the Traffic Dept L & N W R; his next-of-kin was his father of Watford.
He was initially enlisted as Private 5200 in the 28th Battalion, London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles), and was discharged in consequence of being appointed Second Lieutenant in the 5th (Reserve) Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment.
Noel served at Home between 20th November 1915 and 9th July 1916, before going the France. He died on 11th October 1916 at No. 1 British Red Cross Hospital, France, of wounds he received in action at High Wood on the Somme battlefield.
There is an article about Noel in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 30 September 1916, and an article and Death announcement in the issue dated 14 October 1916.
The following article was in October 1916:
“Mr F W Dudley of ‘Wentworth’, The Avenue, Bushey Grove, has received intimation that his son was wounded on Wednesday last. A shell burst quite close to him, wounding him in the thighs and right shoulder, breaking his right arm and taking off part of his right wrist. He had been about three weeks at the Front, fighting practically all the time. He is now in the Duchess of Westminster’s Hospital; and is reported to be making satisfactory progress. He appears to have had a miraculous escape from death”.
Noel is remembered with honour in Etaples Military Cemetery, Plot 1, Row A, Grave 60. He is also commemorated in Bushey on the St James’ and St Paul’s memorials and there is a stained-glass window, ‘The Risen Christ’, in his memory in the north aisle of St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“DUDLEY, NOEL MONTAGU CHARLES. School period: January, 1906, to July, 1911. Second Lieutenant, 5th King's Liverpool Regiment. Died of wounds received at High Wood, October, 1916.”
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
