Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 5th March…… Walter John Matthews was born at Southampton, England on 25th February, 1885.

Walter John Matthews joined the Royal Navy on 1st September, 1903 for a period of 12 years. He was issued an official number – Portsmouth 304984.
Stoker 2nd Class Walter John Matthews served in H.M.S. Nelson from 1st September, 1903; Firequeen from 17th March, 1904 & Revenge from 3rd May, 1904.

On 1st September, 1904 Stoker 2nd Class Walter John Matthews was promoted to Stoker while serving in Revenge. He was transferred to Victory II from 1st September, 1905; Andromeda from 28th October, 1905 & Moorhen from 14th March, 1906. He was promoted to Stoker 1st Class on 1st July, 1906 while serving in Moorhen.

Stoker 1st Class Matthews was transferred to Royal Arthur on 5th March, 1908; Victory II from 8th May, 1908 & Hecla from 4th September, 1908. He was appointed Acting Leading Stoker from 1st May, 1909 while serving in Hecla.

He was transferred to Victory II on 15th August, 1910 then transferred to Fisgard from 27th August, 1910. He was promoted to Leading Stoker on 1st December, 1910 while serving in Fisgard.

From 10th December, 1910 Leading Stoker Matthews was transferred to Victory II then transferred to Neptune from 11th January, 1911. He was Stoker Petty Officer from 1st December, 1911 while serving in Neptune.

Stoker Petty Officer Walter John Matthews was transferred to St. Vincent from 31st December, 1911; then Victory II from 13th January, 1913 until 25th January, 1913.

According to information provided for the Roll of Honour - Walter John Matthews came to Australia when he was 28 years of age.

Walter John Matthews was on loan to Royal Australian Navy from Royal Navy for 3 years, commencing on 26th January, 1913 where he was posted to London Depot as Stoker Petty Officer. His official number was 7687.

Stoker Petty Officer Walter John Matthews served in H.M.A.S. Australia from 21st June, 1913.
In 1916 Walter John Matthews married Alice M. S. Palmer in St. James’ Church, Southampton, Hampshire, England
Petty Officer Stoker Walter John Matthews died on 5th March, 1916 at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland. He was accidentally suffocated whilst sleeping in steam barge in H.M. Dockyard Rosyth. (Source: Royal Navy Service Record card)

Newspaper Report:
FEARED THE COLD AND RISKED SUFFOCATION
Two men have been found dead on a barge lying in the Forth, near Rosyth. They were Walter Matthews (31) and Roy David Justice (20), believed to belong to London. Owing to the coldness of the weather the men, for the sake of warmth, had closed the hatch and other outlets to the air. Death, which took place in the stokehold, had been due to suffocation.

(Dundee, Perth, Forfar, and Fife’s People Journal, Dundee, Angus, Scotland – 11 March, 1916)
He was buried in Southampton Old Cemetery, Hampshire, England where 3 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.

[Stoker Roy David Justice – service number 3537, aged 20, of H.M.A.S. “Australia”, Royal Australian Navy was buried in Queensferry Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the son of D. J. and Isabell Justice of Cowes, Victoria, Australia.]

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/southampton---old.html