MATHESON, Donald George Melbourne
| Service Number: | WX11483 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 April 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Last Unit: | 7th Division Cavalry Regiment |
| Born: | Waiki, New Zealand, 19 July 1904 |
| Home Town: | Wiluna, Wiluna, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Unknown |
| Occupation: | Mines Superintendent |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Pacific Islands, 30 January 1944, aged 39 years |
| Cemetery: |
Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea A3. F. 4. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, East Perth Department of the Minister for Mines Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant Colonel, WX11483 | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant Colonel, WX11483 | |
| 30 Jan 1944: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant Colonel, WX11483, 7th Division Cavalry Regiment, 2nd/7th Cavalry Commando Regiment |
Newspaper article about Donald
LIEUT-COL. MATHES0N
KILLED IN ACTION
BRILLIANT SOLDIER DEAD
Melbourne, February 10.
Lieut-Colonel D. G. Matlieson, M.C., M.M. and D.S.C. (American) is reported
to have been killed in action on January 30th
A digger of the last war at the age of thirteen years he saw service
In this war he was a leader in New Caledonia last year
Lieut.-Colonel Matheson was awarded the D.S.C. by President Roosevelt for
extraordinary heroism on Guadalcanal.
Brigadier-General Sebree once said of him—"No man on this island has contributed more to our victory than Matheson; no one has done more to
give us a high regard for the Australian man."
Lieut-Colonel Matheson was born in New Zealand.
He was a mining engineer before the war, and at onetime was superintendent of the Wiluna mines. He leave a widow, who is living in Melbourne.
Submitted 31 January 2022 by Elizabeth Allen
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Donald George Melbourne MATHESON was born in Waiki, New Zealand on 19th July, 1904
His parents were John MATHESON & Caroline WILLIAMS who married in New Zealand in 1899
He married Vera Mabel VARCOE in Queensland on 25th November, 1933
See links for futher details about his life & service - he claimed to have been awarded a MC and MM in WW1 but these claims are unverified.
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