Tonkin, Noel John
Corporal Noel John Tonkin
Family/Last name:
TonkinForename(s) and initial(s):
Noel John Place of birth:
Hamilton New ZealandDate of birth:
29/4/1914Service number:
20516Military Unit:
Rank when captured:
POW number:
4137Data sources
The National Archives (UK)Other Sources (WO416 records transcribed by and held at the UK National Archives. Data processed and prepared by Rick Catt and Brian Cooper)Suggest an improvment to this record
Noel Tonkin attested on 30 October 1939 and attended officer training at Narrowneck, Auckland, NZ. He embarked to Egypt as part of 21 Batt. He participated in the battles for Greece and Crete and was reported missing in May 1941. It was not until September 1941 that anyone knew what happened to Noel, when it was announced over the Vatican Radio that he was POW. A few days later on 19 September 1941 he was reported as being in Camp Stalag VIII in Germany. He was here for only a short time, before being reported at Stalag XVIIIA near Wolfsberg in Austria between 03 October 1941 – 17 December 1941. Because Noel was a Sergeant and NCO he was not required to work according to the Geneva Convention, and a special camp, Oflag IIIC was created for the officers. By April 1943, Noel was at this camp. Noel was reported safe in UK in May 1945 and embarked for NZ on 25 July 1945. He married and died on 14 may 1985 age 71. He is buried at the Rotorua Cemetery.