MATTHEWS, Stanley Ruben
| Service Number: | 3549 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 July 1915, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 8th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yarragon, Victoria, Australia , 5 March 1896 |
| Home Town: | Yarragon, Baw Baw, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Yarragon State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 9 October 1917, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium XIII. K. 11., Hooge Crater Cemetery, Passchendaele, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Yarragon War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 3549, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3549, 24th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3549, 24th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Melbourne | |
| 24 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 8th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 8th Infantry Battalion | |
| 6 Nov 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 3549, 8th Infantry Battalion, GSW left shoulder | |
| 14 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 8th Infantry Battalion | |
| 9 Oct 1917: | Involvement Corporal, 3549, 8th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3549 awm_unit: 8 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-10-09 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Karen Standen
STANLEY MATTHEWS: Stanley (Stan) Reuben Matthews was the eldest child of Henry and Emily (nee Brown) Matthews. He was born on the 5th March, 1896. He had two younger brothers, Clarence (dec) and Arnold.
The family lived on their dairy farm "Emleigh" on the Princes Highway, 1 mile east of Yarragon.
Stan was educated at the Yarragon State School, and learnt the violin from Bernie Waldron. He was also very good at painting and drawing, especially animals. Amongst his possessions is an excellent drawing of one of the dugouts he lived in during the war.
Stan worked on the family dairy farm after he left school.
He enlisted on the [12th] July, 1915, aged 19. His parent's permission was required for him to enlist at this age. He was in the 8th Battalion of the A.I.F., his regimental number was 3549. Stan was last home on leave for Christmas in 1915.
His diary shows that he embarked in the troop ship "Afric" on the 4th January 1916. The ship sailed the next day. He wrote on the 11th of January that he had his last glimpse of Australia. Stan mainly fought in France and Belgium.
On the [6th] November 1916, he was wounded in the left shoulder. He rejoined his battalion on the [24th November]. He was also in hospital a number of times due to sickness.
Stan was aged 21 when he was killed in action near Ypres, Belgium, on the 9th October 1917. At this time had the rank of Corporal...
Excerpt from Lest We Forget by Betty Elliott 1994
Footnote: Stan and his cousin, Edgar C. Hollier (#2707), enlisted in Melbourne on the same day in July 1915. Three years later, the family notice inserted in The Age (nla.gov.au) by their grandparents and aunt, captures the families loss:-"Cousins reunited."
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