Vivian Henry William Noble was born in the inner-Sydney suburb of Enmore in 1894. At the time the First World War broke out, he was living in Epping and working as a clerk. At the age of 20, he enlisted in the Army and was assigned to D Company, 3rd Battalion. The battalion sailed aboard HMAT Euripides from Sydney on 20 October 1914.

Noble served with the 3rd Battalion at Gallipoli and was amongst the last party of men in this battalion to leave Anzac Cove at 3am on 20 December 1915. Noble continued to serve with the same battalion on the Western Front, where he was promoted to corporal in November 1916. On 7 January 1917, he was attached to 1st Divisional Ordnance Corps and by April was serving with 1st Division Headquarters. In August 1917, he changed units again when he joined the Australian Divisional Army Ordnance Depot.

Noble was amongst the men who were granted special 1918 leave, and left France to return to Australia on 14 October 1918. Vivian Henry William Noble married Constance Knox in 1920 and lived at Manly until he died in a swimming accident in 1930 at the age of 36.