Leonard Roy Matthews
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth |
unknown "unknown" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation. |
| Place of Birth | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Death | 3 Sep 1916 |
| Place of Death | Mouquet Farm, Poziéres |
| Age at Enlistment | 24 years, 1 month |
| Description |
5' 4½" (1/64m) tall ; 119 lbs 53.977 kg ; fair complexion ; grey eyes ; fair hair |
| Occupation | Book-keeper |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Kelmscott, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Sister , Mrs Lionel Owen |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 2716 |
| Date of Enlistment | 10 Aug 1915 |
| Rank | Lance Corporal |
| Unit/Formation | 28th Battalion 6th Reinforcements, transferred to 51st Battalion / 13th Brigade, 4th Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 2 Nov 1915 ‒ 26 Nov 1915 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A38 Ulysses |
| Fate | Wounded and Missing in Action 3 Sep 1916, later determined by Court of Inquiry to be KIA. |
| Monument |
Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Australian War Memorial |
| Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Contents
Pre War
His records do not give us his residential address on enlistment. Electoral Roll entry: 1916, Clive street Katanning, book keeper. Uncle of SCO Matthews and WC Matthews.
War Service
He entered Blackboy Hill camp on 17 Aug 1915 and on 16 Oct 1915 he was allocated to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. A fortnight later he sailed with them to Port Suez in Egypt.
On arrival he was sent to the 7th Training Battalion where he continued training until he was allocated to the newly formed 51st Battalion in Zeitoun on 3 Mar 1916. Appointed Lance Corporal on 6 Apr 1916, he proceeded with the battalion on the HMT Ivernia from Alexandria to Marseilles between 5 and 12 Jun 1916.
Leonard moved into the front lines at Mouquet Farm with his unit on night of 1/2 Sep 1916, and would have gone into the attack on the farm itself. On numerous occasions during 3 Sep 1916 the enemy carried out heavy bombardments of the attacking troops and of the farm when they reached it in order to drive them back. Leonard's body was never identified so it might be assumed that he was a victim of the artillery action. His records do, however, include mention of a Memorial Cross being erected at R 27 d 3.3 Sheet 57 d SE, so his body may have been buried, but post hostilities was unable to be found.
The verdict of a Court of Inquiry was that he had been Killed In Action. His Red Cross File is unable to shed any light on the circumstances of his death.[1].
Notes
Leonard's brother and nephews all have a Kelmscott address. Did he live there prior to moving to Katanning? A letter on file from his sister asserts that with the death of their mother, she took him and his unmarried sisters in after their mother died in Feb 1908. (Leonard was 16 at the time.)
- ↑ "Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files - Leonard Roy Matthews". Australian War Memorial. 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.