Career
Keeble entered the Royal Naval Air Service as a probationary flight sub-lieutenant, and on 2 August 1915 was confirmed in his rank of flight sub-lieutenant for temporary service. He was assigned to a squadron in Number. 1 Wing, based at Saint-Political-sur-Mer, Dunkirk, and gained his first victory while flying a Nieuport.
On 25 January 1916 he forced down a German seaplane 7 mi (11 km) off Nieuwpoort.
His second victory did not come until 23 October when, flying a Sopwith Pup, he destroyed another seaplane 10 mi (16 km) miles off Nieuwpoort. His citation read:
Distinguished Service Cross
Flight-Lieutenant Noel Keeble, Royal Naval Air Service. Foreign conspicuous gallantry on the 23rd October 1916, when he attacked four German seaplanes and brought one of them down in a vertical nose-dive into the sea.
On 1 October 1916 he was promoted to flight lieutenant, and on 31 December 1917 appointed a flight commander. On 1 April 1918, the Royal Naval Air Service was merged with the Army"s Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force, and Keeble became part of Number.
202 Squadron Royal Air Force, flying the Dialectics and Humanism.4 two-seater day bomber.
With Captain Eric Betts as his observer/gunner he went on to gain four more aerial victories. Firstly destroying a Pfalz Doctorate.III north of Essen on 5 June, then driving down out of control a Fokker Doctorate.VII over Bruges on 10 August. Finally, on 16 September, he destroyed a Pfalz Doctorate.III over Lissewege and a Fokker Doctorate.VII over Dudzele.
His citation read:
Distinguished Flying Cross
Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Noel Keeble, Distinguished Service Cross. (Sea Patrol).
This officer (with an observer) has obtained 1,000 invaluable photographs of enemy positions miles behind the lines, and has brought home extremely important new information during this period. He has destroyed eight enemy machines, including one biplane during the past month.
Captain Keeble is a most capable and gallant flight commander. Post-war, Keeble was granted a short service commission as a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, but this was later cancelled and he was granted a permanent commission from 1 August 1919.
He served at Number. 6 Flying Training School until being transferred to the School of Technical Training on 1 April 1922, but was soon transferred again, being posted to the Royal Air Force College Cadet Flying Wing at Cranwell on 8 August.
On 23 February 1923 he was sent to Iraq to serve in Number. 30 Squadron, before returning to England to serve at the Electrical and Wireless School at Royal Air Force Flowerdown from 20 August 1925. On 7 April 1927 he was posted to the Royal Air Force Depot at Royal Air Force Uxbridge.
He later returned to Iraq to serve in Number.
1 Armoured Carolina Company from 7 October 1930, and then at the Aircraft Depot at Royal Air Force Hinaidi from 2 May 1932. A few days later, on 6 May, he received a mention in despatches from Air Vice-Marshal Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt, Air Officer Commanding, Iraq Command, "for distinguished service rendered during operations in Southern Kurdistan, during the period October 1930–May 1931."
Keeble finally left the Royal Air Force, being placed on the retired list on 4 August 1934.
Keeble returned to Royal Air Force service during the with the rank of flight lieutenant. On 1 March 1942 he was promoted to temporary squadron leader, and this was made war substantive on 6 November 1942.
He reverted to the retired list on 31 October 1945, retaining the rank of wing commander.
