Fawcett Henry Nussey Noble Major 23790
Major Fawcett is mentioned in the 1st Tyneside Scottish War Diary on 27/4/1942 as being the Pack Transport Liaison Officer, based at Brigade HQ.
It is now clear, having processed the War Diary of the 25th Mule Company, Royal Indian Army Service Corps, that he formerly commanded that Mule Company and was then moved to the HQ of the Indian Contingent, and then subsequently posted to the HQ of the 70th Infantry Brigade as the Pack Transport Liaison Officer (P.T.L.O.).
This entry can now be expanded in the usual way as information about Major Fawcett has been gathered from Henry Dodds of Gateshead, to whom grateful thanks are due.
Personnel Entry
Name Fawcett Henry Hussey Noble
Army number 23790.
Rank Major.
Decorations None yet known.
Date of birth 2/6/1902 in Wimbledon, Surrey. Birth registered Q2 1902. Baptised at St John the Baptish Church, South Wimbledon, Surrey.
Age 77 at the time of his death.
Unit Attended Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Commissioned in the Indian Army as a 2nd Lieutenant 1/2/1923. Joined the 15th Lancers as a 2nd Lieutenant with effect from 20/3/1924. Transferred to the Royal Indian Army Service Corps 1932. Served as a Staff Captain 20/6/1938 - 13/12/1939. Served with Force K-6 and landed, by air, in Marseilles on 17th December 1939. Served B.E.F. Commanded 25th Mule Transport Company. Evacuated with the rest of the HQ of Force K-6 from St. Nazaire on SS Floristan To read an account of the later wreck of this vessel please click here - arriving in Plymouth 19th June 1940. Force K-6 (less 22nd Animal Transport Company, which had been captured) moved to Shirley in Derbyshire. Posted to the HQ of the Indian Contingent in the UK. Commanded No. 4 Pack Group. During part of the period when the three Mule Companies (which had been part of Force K-6) trained with 70th Infantry Brigade in 1942, Major Fawcett was the Liaison Officer at Brigade HQ. Later, Lt Col Fawcett was appointed Assistant Director of Transport (1944 - 1946) GHQ India. Retired as a Lt Col from the Special List - ex-Indian Army Retired. Ceased to have a commitment to R.A.R.O. on age grounds 2/6/1959.
Company/Battery Company HQ - 29th Mule Company R.I.A.S.C. Force K-6 HQ. 70th Brigade HQ. GHQ India.
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role Company Commander. Force Adjutant. Brigade Pack Transport Liaison Officer. Assistant Director of Transport.
Joined Brigade 1942 in Wales.
Promotions Lieutenant 1/5/1925. Captain 1/2/1932. Major 1/2/1940 while in France. Lieutenant Colonel - August 1943.
Wounded Not as far as is known.
Prisoner of War Not as far as is known.
Died/Killed in action Died 30/4/1980 at Streatley. Probate granted 18/8/1980 at Bristol Registry.
Home address Son of Philip Noble Fawcett (1863 - 1942) and Annie Marian Nussey (1876 - 1970). Married Edith Susanna Battersby (1911 - 1998) in London City Q1 1939.
Source table
Thanks are very much due to Henry Dodds for his research at The National Archives, which has added materially to the record of this Officer.
