William Henry John (Billy) MATTHEWS

MATTHEWS, William Henry John

Service Number: N240093
Enlisted: 13 May 1941, Miranda, New South Wales
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 55/53 (amalgamated) Infantry Battalion AMF
Born: Pyrmont, New South Wales, 7 July 1920
Home Town: Taren Point, New South Wales
Schooling: St Benedicts
Occupation: Metal worker
Died: Killed in Action, Papua, 7 December 1942, aged 22 years
Cemetery: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea
Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Bomana, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Sutherland Taren Point WW2 Honour Roll, Taren Point Public School WW2 Honour Roll
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World War 2 Service

13 May 1941: Enlisted Private, N240093, Miranda, New South Wales
13 May 1941: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N240093
14 May 1941: Involvement Private, N240093
7 Dec 1942: Involvement Private, N240093, 55/53 (amalgamated) Infantry Battalion AMF, Buna / Gona / Sanananda "The Battle of the Beachheads" - Papua

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Biography

"... Early on 7 December the 55th/53rd B Company made a small attack against Japanese positions to divert enemy attention from the 49th's main attack against Sanananda. The remaining 55th/53rd joined the 49th in the main battle. However, both battalions could not penetrate the strong Japanese fortifications and suffered heavily: the 55th/53rd had 130 casualties, including killed, missing, and wounded; the 49th took 229 casualties, more than half the battalion's fighting strength..." - READ MORE LINK (www.awm.gov.au)

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