William James MATTHEWS

Regimental number599
Place of birthTanunda, South Australia
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLabourer
AddressTanunda, South Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20
Height5' 5.5"
Weight132 lbs
Next of kinFather, W Matthews, Tanunda, South Australia
Previous military serviceServed for 4 years in the Senior Cadets; transferred to 79th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces (still serving at time of AIF enlistment).
Enlistment date1 March 1916
Place of enlistmentAdelaide, South Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit nameMachine Gun Company 8, Reinforcement 10
AWM Embarkation Roll number24/13/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board RMS Omrah on 17 January 1917
Regimental number from Nominal Roll599A
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll11th Machine Gun Company
FateReturned to Australia 5 April 1918
Discharge date25 November 1918
Other details

War service: Western Front

Embarked Melbourne, 17 January 1917; disembarked Devonport, England, 27 March 1917; marched into Machine Gun Training Depot, Grantham, 28 March 1917.

Proceeded overseas to France, 3 July 1917; taken on strength, 11th Machine Gun Company, in the field, 4 October 1917.

Wounded in action, 14 October 1917 (gun shot wound, shoulders), and admitted to 11th Australian Field Ambulance; transferred same day to 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station; to Ambulance Train, 15 October 1917, and admitted to 18th General Hospital, Camiers, 18 October 1917.

Reallotted Regimental No 599A.

Transferred to England, 28 October 1917, and admitted to Kitchener War Hospital, Brighton; transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 5 December 1917. Discharged on furlough, 3 January 1918, to report to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 17 January 1918.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Borda', 5 April 1918; disembarked Melbourne, 30 May 1918, for onward travel to Adelaide; discharged, Adelaide, 25 November 1918 (medically unfit). MBV