George Campbell MATTHEWS AFC

MATTHEWS, George Campbell

Service Numbers: 7, 250195
Enlisted: 25 September 1914, Morphettville, South Australia
Last Rank: Wing Commander
Last Unit: RAAF Base Garbutt (Townsville)
Born: Stranraer, Scotland, 6 July 1883
Home Town: Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Merchant Naval Officer
Died: Natural causes, 27 January 1958, aged 74 years, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

25 Sep 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7, Morphettville, South Australia
11 Feb 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 7, 9th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Karroo embarkation_ship_number: A10 public_note: ''
11 Feb 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 7, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Karroo, Melbourne
16 May 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 7, 9th Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli
22 Jun 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 9th Light Horse Regiment
14 Feb 1917: Transferred Lieutenant, Australian Flying Corps (AFC)
21 Oct 1917: Promoted Captain, Australian Flying Corps (AFC)
31 Aug 1920: Discharged Captain, Australian Flying Corps (AFC)

World War 2 Service

24 Sep 1945: Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Wing Commander, 250195, RAAF Base Garbutt (Townsville)
Date unknown: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Wing Commander, 250195

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Biography contributed by John Edwards

"Captain George Campbell Matthews (1884-1958) was the managing director of, and pilot for Matthews Aviation which operated from Essendon, Vic. He was a navigator with the merchant navy before enlisting in the Australian Light Horse and serving at Gallipoli. In 1917 he joined the Royal Flying Corps and served in France. Matthews was an entrant in the 1919 Great Britain to Australia flight offering a £10,000 prize. He was one of the first twelve to receive a civil pilot's licence under the Air Navigation Act of 11 November 1920 but his plane crashed in Bali forcing him to return to Australia by ship. In 1930 he formed Matthews Aviation Pty Ltd and operated a bi-weekly passenger and postal service between Melbourne and Tasmania via King Island. The crated Cutty Sark amphibious aircraft arrived in March 1930 and was used for the Bass Strait service, as well as joy flights during the warmer months." - SOURCE (nla.gov.au)

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