On leaving Charlterhouse, Noel Turnbull joined the family firm of ship-owners but his business career was soon interrupted by the war. After serving as a drive he was then commission into the RASC and during the Battle of the Somme he won the Military Cross and was Mentioned in Despatches. He first came to prominence as a tennis player in 1919 and made his Davis Cup début that year. He played again in the Davis Cup in 1921 but then virtually gave up the game for four years to concentrate on golf in which he played off scratch at St. George’s Hill and West Hill. On resuming serious tennis, he again made the Davis Cup team in 1926 and won the singles at the Portuguese Championships in 1921 and 1928. He was, however essentially a doubles specialist and his victory with Max Woosnam in the 1920 Olympic doubles was undoubtedly his greatest achievement. He was a first cousin, once removed, to Philip Turnbull and Bertrand Turnbull.
Great Britain