Governor Matthews

I whānau mai i te 1 Mar 1905 - I mate atu i te 23 Nov 1941

Nama Hōia: 7233 AWMM
Ingoa kārangaranga: —
Te Ope o Tū / te peka: Army AWMM
Te tūnga whakamutunga: Corporal/Military AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, D Company AWMM
Pakanga: World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Mātātuhi

Lay a poppy

Governor Matthews — Headstone, Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt (photo B. Coutts, 2009) - This image may be subject to copyright

Whakaatu mai ngā āpure e wātea ana Hunaia ngā mātāwai kōrero

Ngā pakanga me ngā whawhai

Pakanga: World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
Kauhanga riri: —
Te Ope o Tū / te peka: Army AWMM
Nama Hōia: 7233 AWMM
Urunga ki te ope taua: —
Whakapikinga / Tukunga / Whakawhitinga: —

Ngā tohu taumata rau ope taua

Mētara me ngā Tohu: Military Medal (MM) AWMM
30 Dec 1941 AWMM
"For courage and initiative. In every action that the battalion has taken part in, this soldier has showed courage and initiative in destroying enemy with rifle, mortar and sub-machine gun/ Though wounded in the arm at Maleme, he continued in the thick of every fight till the withdrawal; this included two or three bayonet rushes. At Suda Bay in one ditch, Pte. Matthews killed ten of the enemy with his sub-machine gun. (London Gazette 30/12/1941) The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Governor, Matthews. (Ref. WO 373/27/493). Military Medal. 30 Dec 1941" AWMM
War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Te Whakangungu me te Urunga atu

Whakangungu ope taua: —
Branch Trade Proficiency: —
Te urunga: WW2 Carpenter/Civilian AWMM
Pakeke i te whakaurunga: —
Mahi i mua i te ekenga waka: —

Te maha o ngā ekenga waka

Taipitopito ekenga waka: WW2 Private AWMM 28 (Maori) Battalion, D Company AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Second Echelon AWMM

Whakapapa hauora

Tuhinga hauora: Killed on Active Service, Cause of Death AWMM

Te tūnga whakamutunga e mōhiotia ana

Te tūnga whakamutunga: Corporal/Military AWMM
28 (Maori) Battalion, D Company AWMM
Te tūnga whakamutunga: —

Kōrero taurongo

Governer Matthews was the son of Hoani and Makaretta Rutha Matthews, of Karitane, Otago, New Zealand.

Corporal G. Matthews, MM; born Puketeraki, 1 Mar 1905; carpenter; killed in action 23 Nov 1941. (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p.64.)

'There was still some sporadic fire across the Mavroneri Gorge when D Company prepared to withdraw. Word was passed from man to man, mostly in Maori, to close in on the right and the platoons gathered at Company Headquarters. With the driving rain and complete darkness this took some time, and when at 8 p.m. the company was due to withdraw Lieutenant Logan had not arrived with 17 Platoon. It was nearly half an hour later before he reported with the information that Corporal Wipiti's section was missing.

The platoon had concentrated around the reserve section and a runner was sent to inform Corporal Wipiti. He returned to say he had not been able to find them in the darkness but had called out and got a reply and had delivered the message. After waiting some time without any appearance of the section, it was assumed that it had moved up a track that had led from behind the section through the reserve platoon area to Company Headquarters. It was not there and yells of ‘E Wipiti! Haere mai!’ were unanswered. It was almost an hour behind time when D Company, with Corporals Matthews and Tainui in the rear, Spraying the darkness with Bren bursts, climbed up the ridge in Indian file.

A Company's move out was unmolested, but on account of the darkness and rain and boggy track it was about midnight before the last of the men was through B Company's area, from where it will be remembered there was a track up to Battalion Headquarters. Captain Leaf was a tower of strength right through the night. He was a man of powerful physique and he heartened the men with jokes, helped those who slipped and fell to regain the track, and on occasion threatened dire punishment to any who showed signs of panic. Major Bertrand and Sergeant Vercoe checked the last of A Company through and then followed behind B Company.' (Source: Cody, J.F. 28 Maori Battalion. p. 64.) AWMM

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Governor Matthews