"THE night grows dark and I am far from home".

These rather poignant words are engraved on a soldier's headstone in a remote part of a War Cemetery in Thailand, and has helped motivate a search for his descendants, so as to return one of his campaign medals found in a Warwick back yard more than 40 years ago.

I received a phone call from Judy Bremner of Yelarbon, who found the medal in her back yard at 2 Wantley St, Warwick, all those years ago, and has given me the task of trying to track down his relatives to return this 1918 medal to its rightful place.

The gravesite is the resting place of Gunner Noel Charles Loder of the 2/10 Field Regiment, Royal Australian Regiment, who died as a Prisoner of War on the notorious Burma - Siam railway in September, 1943.

However, Noel's story began much earlier with his service in World War 1 where he served as a Driver with the Field Artillery Brigade 7, of the 1st AIF.

Noel was born at Moree, New South Wales on July 30 1898, the son of Andrew and Emily Loder of "Doondi", Bennett St Neutral Bay, Sydney.

Noel received his education at The Sydney Church of England Boys Grammar School, and was employed as a Station Overseer in Moree at the time of his enlistment.

It appears that he put his age up as many young men did at the time when he enlisted at Challis House on April 24, 1916.

Noel was sent to the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column with the rank of Driver and after a period of training, embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A60 "Aeneas" on September 30, 1916.

Arriving at Plymouth on November 19, he underwent training at Bulford before being hospitalised at Fargo Hospital with a bout of tonsillitis.

When Noel had regained his health he proceeded overseas to France and arrived there in the battle zones on March 15, 1917 to experience the horrors of the Western Front.

He was taken on strength and transferred to the 1st Division Artillery at Etaples, but on July 25, 1917 he suffered foot injuries and was admitted to the Australian General Hospital at Camiers for treatment, then later transferred back to England.

After a couple of months of treatment, Noel was classified as medically unfit for further service and was repatriated back to Australia aboard HMAT "Surich" on November 20, 1917.

Noel's war was over as he returned to civilian life.

On his return Noel possibly returned to his old job on the land at Moree, and before the outbreak of World War 2, he ran a Stock and Station Agency in Texas, Queensland.

Not much has been obtained in those years between 1918 and 1941, but Noel answered the nation's call once again when Australia was under threat of imminent invasion of Japanese forces.

At this time it is uncertain where Noel was living but the 1943 Electoral Roll gives his address in Texas, as he now had married a girl named Jessy and was somehow connected to Texas, Queensland.

He enlisted in Sydney on March 4, 1941,and was posted to the ill-fated 2/10th Field Regiment which was sent to bolster the defence of Singapore, before it was eventually overrun by far superior Japanese forces.

Noel was now a Prisoner of War under the control of Japan and appeared to be sent to the infamous Camp 4 in Thailand's Burma - Siam railroad where he must have succumbed to the brutal treatment handed out there, and died on September 29, 1943 at the age of 45. He was later buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand.

This story is a very important reminder of the sacrifices made by Australian soldiers and should never be forgotten.

A man like Noel Charles Loder who served his nation twice in his lifetime, deserves to be called an Anzac, and the return of one of his medals to family would be a good way of acknowledging his courage and military service even though he lies "far from home".

Noel Charles Loder.

Lest we forget.