BIDEN, Noel Ernest
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Armidale, New South Wales, Australia, 26 December 1892 |
| Home Town: | Hay, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Petersham Superior Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Died: | Illness, Greece, 21 December 1915, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Portianos Military Cemetery Plot V, Row D, Grave No. 180 |
| Memorials: | East Maitland Municipality of East Maitland Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Company Engineers | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Lieutenant, 1st Field Company Engineers, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Lieutenant, 1st Field Company Engineers, HMAT Afric, Sydney | |
| 21 Dec 1915: | Involvement Captain, 3rd Field Company Engineers, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 3rd Field Company, Australian Engineers awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1915-12-21 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Raised and educated in Sydney, Noel Biden trained at the Royal Military College Duntroon. Noel was also a talented Rugby player and while at college was a member of the First Fifteen, First Grade Rugby team at Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1913. He applied for a commission in the AIF on 14 August 1914. He embarked with the 1st Field Coy Engineers and landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Within the first few days of the landing on Gallipoli, Lieutenant Biden and his team of engineers had carved out roads and pathways for the artillery to be dragged up the ridges and into position and then gave the infantry great assistance in consolidating the newly dug trenches along the way. He was promoted to Captain in July 1915 and was transferred to the 3rd Field Company on 10 September. Captain Biden was evacuated to Mudros on 22nd November 1915 with paratyphoid and pneumonia. He died on 21 December 1915 and is buried at Portianos Military Cemetery. In a letter to the Base Records office in Melbourne dated 28th December 1915, his father Ernest H. Biden wrote, "We were hopeful through the Christmas that no news was a good augury that we would hear of our son's recovery...we have lost a good son and the Department has lost a loyal and promising officer"
The Maitland Weekly Mercury 8 January 1916.
“Lieutenant Noel Biden, of the 1st Field Company of Engineers, died at Mudros of pneumonia. He was a young officer of brilliant promise, having graduated from Duntroon after a course marked by special merit. He was distinguished at the Sydney High School as an able, scholar, and passed the Senior Public examination with high distinction, especially in mathematics, carrying off several medals. Having decided to adopt a military career, he passed the entrance examination for Duntroon easily at the head of the list, and out-distanced all competitors at the college through exceptional grasp and facility in the acquisition of knowledge. On graduation in 1914 his high, attainments, secured him a commission in the corps of engineers. He served at Gallipoli with distinction. He was the son of Mr. E. H. Biden, draughtsman, in charge of the Lands Board Office at Hay. Mr. Biden only recently removed to Hay from East Maitland and the many Maitland friends of Mr. and Mrs. Biden and family will deeply sympathise with them in the loss of their gallant and gifted son.”
His brother, 6462 Pte. William Wareham Biden 3rd Battalion AIF was killed in action 14 April 1918, at Strazeele, France. Age 26.
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