JOYCE, Matthew John
| Service Number: | 3786 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 46th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Branxholme, Victoria, Australia, 1889 |
| Home Town: | Hamilton, Southern Grampians, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in action, Bullecourt, France, 11 April 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Branxholme & District Roll of Honour WW1, Branxholme War Memorial, Hamilton Borough of Hamilton Roll of Honour, Hamilton War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Wallacedale WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3786, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 3786, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 3786, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 11 Apr 1917: | Involvement Private, 3786, 46th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3786 awm_unit: 46th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-04-11 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Matthew John Joyce was the son of John Mark and Rosanna Joyce of Wallacedale, Victoria. His mother had passed away during 1909. Matthew was born in Branxholme but was associated with Hamilton, Victoria, where he was well known.
His older brother, 4128 Lce. Cpl. Thomas William Joyce 24th Battalion AIF died of accidental injuries on 1 June 1917, when a Stokes Mortar he was operating had a premature shell explosion.
Matthew joined up with the 14th Battalion during 1915 but was transferred to the 46th Battalion during the reorganisation of the AIF in early 1916. He went through much of the 1916 fighting on the Western Front unscathed but was killed during the very heavy fighting at Bullecourt on 11 April 1917.
Matthew was seen by mates to have been very badly wounded, close to the German wire, on this date, and as the attack failed his remains were never found.
His father, having moved to Melbourne, proved very difficult to track down but eventually received Matthew’s medal entitlements.