Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

MATTERS Sir Reginald Francis MD MS FRCS FRACS FRCOG

1892-1975

Reginald Francis Matters was born, on 23rd July 1892, at Malvern, South Australia.  He was the son of Thomas James Matters and Jane Beadnell, nee Waterhouse of Unley Park. Matters was one of nine children, with four brothers and four sisters. He was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at Sydney University graduating in 1917.  Matters served with the 4th Infantry Service in South Australia from 1904 to 1912 and with the 29th Infantry in Sydney from 1913 to 1914. He enlisted in WW1 as a captain when he completed his medical degree. He served in France and was wounded in action in September 1918 and returned to Australia in November 1919. Following WW1, he married Elbe Cornwall Mitchell, in 1919, aged 26 years from Burwood, New South Wales, and they were to have two children. His wife was the daughter of John Nankiville and Annie Mitchell of Strathfield, NSW.  Matters undertook post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom, Paris Vienna, Stockholm, USA and Canada gaining his MS (Adelaide) FRACS (Edinburg) FRACS (Australia) and MCOG (London) He subsequently became a noted obstetrician and gynaecologist in Adelaide. He had several interests and was a member of two anthropological expeditions to Central Australia studying the metabolism of nomadic Aboriginal people.  He was living in College Park, Adelaide in 1933, when he joined the Navy Reserve and appointed acting surgeon commander in May 1934 at Port Adelaide.

Matters continued with the Navy during WW2 and again granted the acting rank of surgeon commander from 14th April 1942. He was mobilised and appointed to the Manoora on 15th April 1943, and then to Torrens in July 1944. He was demobilised on 11th December 1944 but remained with the Navy Reserve at Torrens and Arunta. His promotion to surgeon commander RANVR was substantiated on 15th November 1945.

Following the war, Matters stayed in the Navy Reserve as surgeon commander and retired on 22nd July 1952. He continued his career as an obstetrician and gynaecologist working at the RAH and the Queen's Home later the Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital. He tutored in obstetrics at the University of Adelaide and was the author of many publications in obstetrics and gynaecology. He became the President of the Navy League of South Australia and the Naval Officers Association and led the naval contingent in the Anzac Day March, in Adelaide, each year.  He was knighted for his service to medicine on the 10th June 1961. He enjoyed golf, tennis, yachting and riding and was a member of the Junior and Constitutional Clubs, London, and the Naval, Military and Air Force Clubs, Adelaide and Melbourne. Sir Reginald Francis Matters died on 14th October 1975 in Prospect, SA. His wife, son, Thomas, and daughter survived him.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2. 

Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD

Additiona information to previous biography.

Matters enlisted in the AIF as a Captain and medical officer on 28th January 1918. He was 30 years of age, 6ft ½ in tall, weighing 175lbs of dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair.   He embarked on the HMAT Osterley on 9th May 1918 for France via Folkstone, England. He was originally posted to the 3 AGH 11th September 1918 but was then immediately reposted to 11 FdAmb on the 15th September 1918.  He was wounded in action on 29th September 1918 and discharged back to duty on 7th November 1918. The extent of his injuries and the cause is not recorded. He returned to Australia on 30th November 1919. He was issued with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia, who Served in World War 1. 

Verco, Summers, Swain, Jelly. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2014. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD