Noel Edward Signal was born in 1919 in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. He grew up on his father's dairy farm and worked there until enlisting in the army in 1939 at the start of World War 2. During the war, he served as a sniper in the Pacific Islands from 1940 to 1946. After the war, he married and had a family while working various shepherding and farming jobs throughout New Zealand until retiring in 1970. He passed away in 1983 in Hamilton at the age of 63.

1. By Joshua

2.  He was champion dog trialer but the newspapers said
it was someone else and changed it. Noel’s father was
an influence on the farm and throughout his
childhood.

3.  When Noel went away to war he was awarded several
medals;
 The 1939-45 Star, the Pacific Star, Defence Medal,
War Service Medal

4.  Name: Noel Edward Signal
 Date of birth: 6th November 1919
 Place of birth: Fielding’s Hawkes Bay
 Date of death: 20th May 1983 aged 63
 Place of death: Hamilton Waikato

5.  I choose Noel Signal because he’s my Great
Grandfather and he was a sniper in the Pacific during
WW2. He went ahead of all the soldiers and trucks
and shot the Japs off one by one. I am also interested
in what he did during his life time.

6.  Noel grew up in Woodville, the son of a Dairy farmer.
He attended Woodville Primary and secondary
school(s) until the age of 14 when He sat matriculation
exams and passed. He then worked for his father on
the farm until 18. He then went droving with his eldest
brother Howard and his father bringing sheep and
cattle from Hawkes Bay to Manawatu and the
Taranaki.

7.  WW2 broke out in 1939 and with all bright minded
men he enlisted for the army at Pahiatua. He went to
the Pacific Islands just after his 21st birthday. He served
in the 36th battalion and came home in 1946. After the
war, returned soldiers were given the chance to either
purchase a farm or take £500. Noel took the money

8.  Six months after the war finished in 1945. His brother Morton
(Mort) was found alive with the Italian underground. Much to
my Grandfather’s surprise, when Mort got home in early 1946
they both got horribly drunk. Noel married Patricia Nicholson
on the second of November 1946 and they share milked (milking
60 cows by hand) at Midhurst in Taranaki where their first 2
children were born.
 In 1953 the family moved to Rewa Rewa, East of Otorohanga
where my Grandmother was born. In 1954 Noel broke his foot
when a horse rolled on it and was off work for a couple of weeks.
Later that year the family moved North of Auckland to a place
called Maungataroto. A short while later he got a job as head
shepherd on a lands and survey block at Mamaranui, half way
between Dargaville

9.  and the Waipoua forest. After a short time there he then
got a job as manager of the Waipoua lands and survey
block right next to the Waipoua forest.
 When the family moved to the Waipoua forest there was 1
house, 1 small woolshed and 5,000 acres of undeveloped
land for him to break in (clearing the trees). When he left
the farm in 1964 all the land had been cleared, there were 4
houses, a modern woolshed and a staff of 5. The farm could
carry 10,000 sheep and several hundred cattle. Late in 1964
Noel decided that he wanted to go back to milking cows
again and he got a job as a 39% share milkier at Ruawai just
South of Dargaville. That job lasted a year; he then got
another 39% share milking job at Teka Honga South West
of Tuakau. He was there for 3 years. Wanting to go back to
sheep farming he then got a job with the department of
Moari affairs in Taupo. That block was called Wairaki. He
was then just a shepard. Noel had hourses that he loved. In
his spare time he competed in dog trials.

10.  A short while later he was offered the head sherpard
job on another block at Reparoa. He didn’t stay there
long before he was offered a job back at Taupo right
beside the Aratiatia Dam (near Taupo). After 2 years
there he left that job for a job on a sheep station at
Parawera South East of Te Awamutu. In 1970, he
decided it was time to retire from farming, he and my
Great Grandmother moved to Te Awamutu where he
worked for the Borough Council until his death in
1983.

11.  (Right) a watch given to Noel for his 21st birthday from
his parents.
 (Below) Noel and Patricia at the 36th battalion dinner.

12. 1919 to 1983