4 March 1915 : Corporal Noble Dewey

Noble Dewey died of wounds on this day in 1915.

Noble Dewey was born in Cambridge on 28 September 1885, the fifth son of Thomas Henry Dewey and his wife, Elizabeth (née Rayner) of 6 Searle St, Cambridge. 

Searle Street, Cambridge 2019

He was educated at St. Luke’s School, Chesterton.

At the 1901 Census, Noble was living at home in Chesterton with his parents and five older siblings and working as a laboratory assistant.

At the 1911 Census, he was still living at home, and age 25, also still a laboratory assistant. At home were his widowed mother, working as a College Servant, two older sisters Ada and Ethel (in turn a housekeeper and shop assistant) and brother Lesley (a tailor). Noble was a well-known Cambridge athlete, a member of the Town and County Cycling Club and earned a great reputation as a trainer. 

He joined the 1st Cambridge Territorials in January 1912. With the outbreak of war, Noble volunteered for Imperial Service and went to France in Feb 1915. He was shot by a sniper and died of his wounds about 5:30m.4 March 1915 - the first casualty in action in the Cambridgeshire Regiment.

Dickebusch New Military Cemetery. Photo - CWGC

Corporal Noble Dewey 1357 1st Bn Cambridgeshire Regiment (TF)

Died of wounds 4 March 1915

Sources: De Ruvigny’s, Census Returns (Ancestry).

Images: De Ruvigny's, Google Street View, WFA Pension Cards on Fold3.