WATERS, Noel Edwin John
| Service Number: | 3642 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1915, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 5th Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Corryong, Victoria, Australia, January 1892 |
| Home Town: | Corryong, Towong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Colac State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Albury, New South Wales, Australia, 12 May 1964 |
| Cemetery: |
Albury General Cemetery / Waugh Road, NSW |
| Memorials: | Corryong Colac Colac School Roll of Honor, Corryong and District Avenue of Honour Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3642, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3642, 24th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jan 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3642, 24th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Melbourne | |
| 12 Dec 1917: | Wounded Driver, 3642, 5th Pioneer Battalion, Remaining on duty | |
| 29 Sep 1918: | Wounded Driver, 3642, 5th Pioneer Battalion, Breaching the Hindenburg Line - Cambrai / St Quentin Canal, 2nd occasion - GSW (chest) | |
| 14 Nov 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 3642, 5th Pioneer Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Corryong College
Noel was born in January 1892 in Corryong, Victoria, and was the youngest of his eight siblings. While growing up, Noel's education was built at Colac State school. His mother was Alice Mary Jane Jephcott, and his father was Alexander Dixie Waters.
In Melbourne, Noel enlisted on the 18th of August, 1915, being allocated Regimental Number 3642. Noel was placed in the 5th Pioneer Battalion, and was a driver. On the 5th of January, 1916, Noel and his battalion embarked from Australia on the HMAT Afric in Melbourne.
Noel wasn't wounded until 1918, when he received gunshot wounds to his chest. He was first treated in Lines of Communication hospital, until he was transferred to England and admitted to Duchess of Conaught Canadian Red Cross hospital. He was transferred to the 1st Auxillary Hospital at Harefield.
Noel returned home on the 5th of January 1919. When he got home, he married. On the 12th of May 1964, Noel eventually died of natural causes. He was buried in the Old Albury Cemetery.
Biography contributed by Stephen Learmonth
Noel Edwin John Waters was born on 17th December 1892 in Corryong, Victoria, to Alexander Dixie Waters and Alice Mary Jane, nee Jephcott.
On the 18th August 1915, he enlisted at Melbourne, Victoria. At the time, he was a single, 23-year-old farmer from Corryong, Victoria. He was allocated Regimental Number 3642 and placed in the 8th Reinforcements for the 24th Battalion. Noel gave his next of kin as father, Alexander Waters. After initial training, he embarked on HMAT A19 Afric at Melbourne, Victoria, on 5th January 1916.
Upon arriving in Egypt, he was transferred to the 57th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir. One month later, on 27th March 1916, he was transferred to No. 52 Battery of the 13th Field Artillery Brigade, but only for a short time, as two months later he was transferred again, this time to the 5th Pioneer Battalion at Ferry Post East.
Noel embarked on CC Tspt Canada on 16th September 1916 and sailed across the Mediterranean, disembarking at Marseille, France, six days later. In September of 1917, he enjoyed a two-week furlough to the UK. His service record states that he was wounded in action on 13th December 1917, but that he remained on duty. On 29th September, 1918, the first day of the Allies' attack on the Hindenberg Line, he was wounded in action for a second time, by a gunshot wound to the chest. He was moved to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station, then evacuated to England and admitted to the Duchess of Connaught Hospital at Taplow. On 21st December 1918, he was transferred to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield.
On 5th January 1919, he returned to Australia aboard HMAT A61 Kanowna, with the rank of Driver. The final opinion of the Medical Board was that his working capacity would be affected by ⅔ due to his wound. He was discharged as medically unfit on 14th November 1919 and awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service during the war.
Noel married May Francis Whitehead on 19th December, 1923, at All Saints Church in Corryong. According to the Corryong Courier's description of the wedding, the couple were to honeymoon on King Island. Noel and May settled at Colac Colac.
In 1943, Noel, May and their daughter Nola moved to Albury, living at 556 Macauley Street. In the 1954 Electoral Roll, his occupation is listed as a grazier. He passed away on the 12th May 1964 at Corryong, Victoria and was buried in Waugh Road Cemetery, North Albury, NSW.
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