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MATTHEWS, William Henry John
Personal Details
| 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 |
Service History
World War 2 Service
| 13 May 1941: | Enlisted Private, N240093, Miranda, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 May 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army 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 |
Personal Stories
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"... 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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