The Biddles were originally from Alveston, Gloucestershire, England, before migrating on the settlers' ship, the Katherine Stewart Forbes on 1 February 1841, arriving in New Zealand in June that year.
Ben grew up on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour and worked on Captain Jones' cutters as a youngster, sailing between Auckland and the Bay of Plenty.
On 5 December, an attempt to storm the pā was commanded by Major Wahawaha and Lieutenant Preece, but they were not successful owing to a lack of ammunition and the defection of a number of men.
The rear of the enemy's position was assigned to the attack under Major Fraser, consisting of Nos 1 and 3 Armed Constabulary and Hotene's Ngatiporous.
The extreme right, on a scarped stony ridge, was commanded from the enemy's rifle-pits and works, and lodgement was only effected by cutting out standing room with a pick axe.
A party of twelve Volunteers were at length placed there, and they succeeded, with some loss, in holding the position till the end of the siege, and in repelling several resolute attacks.
[3]While serving in the land wars, Biddle married a Māori woman, Mauri Poiakino (Pakohai), who was of Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Pāhauwera origins.