Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From How We Served

The final resting place for; - 25 Corporal Matthew Hoy MID of Kensington, Victoria had been employed as a labourer when he enlisted for War Service on the 17th of August 1914. Matthew was allocated to Headquarters 1st Australian Division 1st AIF and was embarked for Egypt and further training, departing Australia on the 22nd of October.

By the 5th of April Matthew was embarked for Lemnos Island in preparations for the landing at Gallipoli on the 25th of April for which Matthew was present. Remaining on duty in the trenches until the 20th of May, Matthew was evacuated for hospitalisation in Malta after being struck by shrapnel which caused serious wounds to his back, shoulder and arm. For his services on Gallipoli Matthew was Mentioned in Despatches.

From Malta Matthew was sent across to England for more specialised care, arriving on the 15th of August, where his injuries could be better diagnosed. It was determined that Matthew was suffering paralysis of his arm, with his shoulder being too damaged to be repaired for him to return to active service. Matthew was embarked for his repatriation to Australia as an invalid on the 19th of January 1916 and following his arrival he was further hospitalized, within the 5th Australian General Hospital (Melbourne) where he would undergo continuous treatment for the wounds he had received on Gallipoli.

Officially discharged from the 1st AIF by the start of September 1916, Matthew was re-entered into civilian life during which his health only further deteriorated and by the 27th of August 1924 he was committed into the Military Mental Asylum (Mont Park). Matthew died whilst still in residence on the 22nd of August 1925 at the age of 44. Following his passing Matthew was interred within Coburg Cemetery, Victoria.