In March 2020, Madison Pine spoke to Eileen Noon, about her beloved husband Samuel Frank Noon, a Malayan and Thailand veteran Sam was very involved with the veteran community and played a significant role in helping to organise the Auckland War Memorial Museum Anzac Day ceremony.

As public events for Anzac Day 2020 have been cancelled due to COVID-19, we want to acknowledge the contribution Sam and his comrades have made to the Auckland War Memorial Dawn and Civic ceremonies. We hope that New Zealanders take time on April 25 to #StandAtDawn to acknowledge our service personnel. You can also remember them through karakia, quiet contemplation, lively story telling, reading a service record or doing anything that brings the stories and memories of our service personnel to the fore.

Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou

We will remember them

Samuel Frank Noon was born on October 18, 1938 and was raised by his grandmother in Hokianga, Northland, a proud Ngāpuhi tāne. In 1953, Sam decided he would join the New Zealand Armed Forces as a Regular Force Cadet. However, as he was only 15 at the time, he was recruited into military school.

He was accepted into the Shuttleworth Class as an RF Cadet on January 18, 1955. While a cadet he was encouraged to select an apprenticeship choosing the Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineering School, where he completed his Advanced Certified Automotive Engineer apprenticeship. Eileen explained how the values he learned while with the Cadets stayed with him for life: "Discipline, respect, comradeship, hard work, commitment and many other life disciplines which would all form part of his core strength and value for the rest of his life."

After graduation, Sam continued with the New Zealand Defence Force joining the New Zealand Army, and he made a point to continue his education in the military and engineering fields. As a natural leader, he imparted this knowledge to up-and-coming cadets, territorials, and regular-force soldiers.

Eileen and Sam met at his 21st birthday party, in 1959. At the time Eileen was staying at the St. Anne's Hostel as a Netball and Tennis representative. Many of the other girls who stayed there were from Hokianga, and mentioned they needed some helping hands for a 21st in Whirinaki—Sam's 21st. Sam and Eileen would go dancing together, listening to rock & roll and dancing the twist. The couple married in the early 1960s and had four children: Sam, Selena, Tanya, and Lucien; four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Throughout Sam's military career the family were constantly moving, taking the family to Papakura, Waiouru, Linton and Burnham Military Camps. Eileen remembers the challenges of Sam being away from home for long periods. As with other military families she and the children often wouldn't know where her husband was, or when he would return. However, Eileen recalls how the military families created solid support networks that fostered a sense of community and togetherness. Their homes were always filled with children and friends from around the camps and youth clubs.

Sam served with the 1 New Zealand Regiment, B Company as a Patrol commander in the Terendak Military Camp, in Malaya (now Malaysia) from 1961 to 1963. In this time he became fluent in Malay, and was seconded to Singapore for special troop guard duties.

In 1970, Sam was part of the 5 Specialist Team, under the Colombo Plan Scheme in Thailand. The team provided apprentice training and service for all heavy earth-moving equipment while building a connector road between Mahasarakham and Ubon US Military Air Base. As he had in Malaya, Sam became fluent in the local language. In 1974, he was seconded to the Fiji Military forces as an Engineering Apprentice Training Officer. When he returned to New Zealand he was seconded to the Armoured Squadron at Waiouru, where he provided workshop services for Tanks, Armoured Cars, Bren Gun Carriers, and other military-support vehicles.

Sam joined the Papakura RSA in 1974, and was deeply involved with this community. He worked alongside many of his old Battalion members, and other veteran groups, helping them access veterans affairs and other services. When veterans sadly passed, he would continue to help their wives and families. In 2015, Sam had another opportunity to help the wider veteran community. At the convincing of Graham Gibson, RSA President, Sam joined the Auckland RSA as an executive member.

Throughout Sam's time on the Auckland RSA he worked very closely with Vanguard Military School, bringing many of the school's recruits onto the cenotaph as part of the military parade. He also played a significant support role for the students of Vanguard Military School. Nick Hyde, Chairperson of the School Board wrote to the following message to the Online Cenotaph team:

Vanguard Military School was extremely blessed to be taken under its wing by Sam Noon. He along with a number of the contingent at the Auckland RSA become regular visitors to the school sharing their knowledge and experiences with the recruits. A relationship soon developed where Vanguard’s recruits were able to be on the cenotaph at the Auckland War Memorial Museum for ANZAC Day and indeed special services like the marking of the 100 years of Passchendaele and the end of World War 1 where Vanguard recruits spent many days erecting the 28000 crosses. At all of these occasions Sam was the friendly and encouraging face the recruits could rely on. He would provide guidance on protocols and always supported the recruits and staff. Vanguard was honoured to be able to perform our school haka at his funeral as a mark of respect to a great and giving man. He is also honoured with a scholarship in his name being an annual award at the schools graduation to remind us all of his legacy.

Sadly Sam passed away on May 23, 2019. Eileen described Sam as a soldier from the beginning of his life to the end: his trousers always had crisp creases and his shoes always shined. Eileen spoke of how this past year has been a huge time of reflection for herself and her family, how they are striving to live life as Sam would have wanted and how to be the sort of community mind people that Sam embodied.

Sam was a devoted and very well-loved family man who also played a huge role within the veteran community. He is incredibly loved and cherished and made a huge personal contribution to Anzac Day, and to commemorations here at Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Ngā mihi nunui to Eileen and the Noon whānau for sharing a part of Sam with Online Cenotaph.

Discover your connection 

To find more information about your whānau, you can search Online Cenotaph and leave your own contributions. You can also place a poppy, or leave a note to creating a lasting memory.

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Online Cenotaph is currently seeking stories from veterans – if you’d like to contribute your own experiences or stories, please get in touch.

We welcome contributions about living service persons for Online Cenotaph, from post 1945 conflicts and current active service. 

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