Special tributes to be paid to Melton man who died after town road collision

George Noble, who was 76, enjoyed a 33-year army career and was a prominent committee member at the Melton branch of the Royal British Legion.

He was taken to hospital with multiple injuries following the Sherrard Street road incident, which happened around lunchtime on Friday January 28.

Sadly, George died six days later in the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, although his family were thankfully able to speak to him during that time.

A funeral service will be held at Grantham Crematorium on Wednesday, March 2, at 11.30am, where members of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps have pledged to give his coffin a guard of honour.

A standard bearer will also raise and lower the standard outside the town legion branch in Thorpe End as the funeral cortege pauses shortly after 10.45am en route to the service.

It will be an emotional day for George’s wife of 54 years, Jacqui, his children, Glen Noble and Debbie Hargreaves and their partners, plus grand-daughter, Ella Noble.

Debbie told the Melton Times: “It has been a shock to lose dad in a tragic accident.

“It’s been overwhelming really, with the all cards and messages.

“We can’t get from one side of town to the other without someone saying how sorry they are and how much they liked him.”

George’s family are keen to thank everyone who helped at the scene of the accident before the emergency services arrived.

The 32-tonne lorry was understood to have been moving slowly when George was struck as he went to cross the road. An inquest has yet to be held.

“People ran over to alert the driver and someone crawled under the lorry to comfort dad until the ambulance came,” said Debbie.

“We can’t thank them enough for that really.”

George was born in Edinburgh to Scottish parents in May 1945.

He enlisted in the army in 1961 and served 33 years with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), being stationed at various bases in England and Germany.

While at the old army depot at Old Dalby, 35 Central Workshops REME, he met Jacqui, who was working there as a civilian RADAR assembler.

The couple were married at Old Dalby Church.

After leaving the army, George took a civilian job as mess manager at Melton’s Defence Animal Centre, where he worked for 17 years before retiring.

Debbie said: “He loved being in the army and liked the fact he was serving his country but he also liked the fact that he was becoming an engineer and he was managing people - he was popular as well because he had an excellent sense of humour.

“My mum and dad were real social people, they loved army life and mess life.”

She added: “He absolutely loved it at the Defence Animal Centre when he went there because it was the structural, daily routine he was used to.”

After retiring, George enjoyed working with the local legion branch, taking a leading role in the annual poppy appeal and other activities.

“George was a recognised character in Melton, he had his regime of going to the legion poppy room to read his paper, then the legion bar and then went off to The Grapes, seeing and talking to people as he walked along the high street,” added Debbie.

“He loved life at the legion and helping organise the poppy appeal - he mastered pushing a Morrisons trolley up the high street to get the poppy boxes in and out.

“We would love to see all of his friends at the legion club from about 1.30pm if they can’t make the crematorium service.”

Family flowers only are requested and donations can be made to the Melton branch of the Royal British Legion via Richard Barnes funeral services.