GORDON, Noel Leslie (1916-1943)
Known as 'Caesar', Noel Gordon enlisted in the RAAF as 408839 F/S N L Gordon, and was training at 52 OTU att. RAF Middle East, when he died as the result of accidental injuries sustained on 6 April, 1943 in Algeria.
It was noted: 'Crew buried in El Alia Cemetery, Algeria. April 9 1943, Hudson FK-604 lost height on take-off and crashed into ground one mile east of Tafarouri'. He was buried in Maison Carree El Alia Cemetery, Grave 12.J.12. El Alia Cemetery is described by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as follows: 'This cemetery lies thirteen kilometres south-east of Algiers. Allied troops made a series of landings on the Algerian coast in early November 1942. From there, they swept east into Tunisia, where the North African campaign came to an end in May 1943 with the surrender of the Axis forces. The cemetery was originally an Allied war cemetery, but was taken over as a civilian cemetery by the municipal authorities, when most of the non-Commonwealth war graves were moved to other burial places. El Alia Cemetery now contains 368 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. Eight war graves of other nationalities remain in the Commonwealth plot and there are also fifteen non-war graves, mostly of merchant seamen whose deaths were not due to war service.'
Born on 22 December 1916, the son of Alfred Colston Gordon and Jessie May nee Nott, of Geelong, he came to the College from Geelong High School, and completed his matriculation with honours. In 1934, he was awarded his colours for Athletics, he later gained fame with the Geelong Guild at Victorian inter-club meetings, and, in 1939, won two Tasmanian championships, the 440 yards and 440 yards hurdles. While on the staff of the Shell Oil Company, Corio, he was for some time a member of the Old Collegians' Choir.
Sources: James Affleck, Geelong Collegians at the Second World War p33.(citing The Pegasus; Australian War Memorial; Commonwealth War Graves Commission.)