Lionel Colin Matthews
Encyclopedia
Lionel Colin Matthews GC
, MC
(15 August 1912 – 2 March 1944) was an Australian Army Signals Corps officer awarded the George Cross
in recognition of gallant and distinguished services whilst a prisoner-of-war in Japanese hands during the Second World War.
inner north-eastern suburb of Stepney
. He was educated at East Adelaide Public School and Norwood High School, and then worked as a salesman in a department store. On 26 December 1935 at St Matthew's Anglican Church, Kensington, he married (Lorna) Myrtle Lane; they had one child, Lionel David Matthews.
in Caulfield, Victoria
on 10 June 1940, and was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1940. He joined the 8th Division on 12 July 1940, spending the next 7 months in Sydney. He and his unit embarked for Singapore
on 2 February 1941, arriving on 18 February 1941. Following the outbreak of hostilities with the Empire of Japan
, he was awarded the Military Cross
for outstanding conduct during operations in Malaya
. The citation read:
Matthews was subsequently promoted to Captain
on 21 January 1942.
prison after the fall of Singapore
on 15 February 1942. He was transferred to Sandakan
, North Borneo
, with nearly fifteen hundred other Australians, and was able to set up contacts with allied agents and sympathisers. He collected information to relay to these contacts and helped organise prisoner escapes with Filipino guerrillas.
The Japanese learnt of his role and arrested Matthews and others. They were interrogated, tortured and starved before being sentenced to death. Despite his ordeal he refused to betray his colleagues or any details of their resistance planning. Matthews was shot by firing squad, along with two members of the Borneo constabulary and six other Asians on the 2 March 1944 at Kuching
.
In 1946 his body was exhumed and laid to rest in the Labuan War Cemetery
in grave J.B.15.
The citation read:
There is a plaque on the Jubilee 150 Walkway
in Adelaide in memory of him and his achievements.
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(15 August 1912 – 2 March 1944) was an Australian Army Signals Corps officer awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
in recognition of gallant and distinguished services whilst a prisoner-of-war in Japanese hands during the Second World War.
Early life
Matthews was born in the AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
inner north-eastern suburb of Stepney
Stepney, South Australia
Stepney is a small triangular near-city suburb of Adelaide within the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters. Stepney contains a mix of retail, manufacturing, professional services and distribution outlets within a cosmopolitan population strongly influenced by post World War II immigration...
. He was educated at East Adelaide Public School and Norwood High School, and then worked as a salesman in a department store. On 26 December 1935 at St Matthew's Anglican Church, Kensington, he married (Lorna) Myrtle Lane; they had one child, Lionel David Matthews.
Army service
He enlisted with the Australian Military ForcesAustralian Military Forces
The Australian Military Forces was the official name of the Army of Australia from 1916 to 1980. This encompassed both the "regular army", and the forces, variously known during this period as the Militia, the Citizen Military Forces and the Australian Citizen Military Force .Initially this...
in Caulfield, Victoria
Caulfield, Victoria
Caulfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
on 10 June 1940, and was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1940. He joined the 8th Division on 12 July 1940, spending the next 7 months in Sydney. He and his unit embarked for Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on 2 February 1941, arriving on 18 February 1941. Following the outbreak of hostilities with the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for outstanding conduct during operations in Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. The citation read:
Matthews was subsequently promoted to Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 21 January 1942.
Prisoner of War
He was interned by the Japanese in the notorious ChangiChangi
Changi is an area at the eastern end of Singapore. It is now the site of Singapore Changi Airport/Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base and is also home to Changi Prison, site of the former Japanese Prisoner of War Camp during World War II which held Allied prisoners captured in Singapore and Malaysia...
prison after the fall of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on 15 February 1942. He was transferred to Sandakan
Sandakan
Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...
, North Borneo
North Borneo
North Borneo was a British protectorate under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company from 1882 to 1946. After the war it became a crown colony of Great Britain from 1946 to 1963, known in this time as British North Borneo. It is located on the northeastern end of the island of Borneo. It is...
, with nearly fifteen hundred other Australians, and was able to set up contacts with allied agents and sympathisers. He collected information to relay to these contacts and helped organise prisoner escapes with Filipino guerrillas.
The Japanese learnt of his role and arrested Matthews and others. They were interrogated, tortured and starved before being sentenced to death. Despite his ordeal he refused to betray his colleagues or any details of their resistance planning. Matthews was shot by firing squad, along with two members of the Borneo constabulary and six other Asians on the 2 March 1944 at Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
.
In 1946 his body was exhumed and laid to rest in the Labuan War Cemetery
Labuan War Cemetery
Labuan War Cemetery is a Commonwealth World War II graveyard in Labuan, Malaysia. Many of the personnel buried in this cemetery, including Indian and Australian troops, were killed during the Japanese invasion of Borneo or the Borneo campaign of 1945. Others were prisoners of war in the region...
in grave J.B.15.
George Cross
Following the war, Matthews was awarded the George Cross for his actions while a prisoner. The award was gazetted in 1947.The citation read:
There is a plaque on the Jubilee 150 Walkway
Jubilee 150 Walkway
The Jubilee 150 Walkway, also variously known as the Jubilee 150 Commemorative Walk, the Jubilee 150 Walk, and the Jubilee Walk, is a series of 150 bronze plaques set into the pavement of North Terrace, Adelaide. It was officially opened on 21 December 1986...
in Adelaide in memory of him and his achievements.
Honours and awards
| |
George Cross George Cross The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations... |
awarded 25 November 1947 for actions 1942-44 |
| |
Military Cross Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.... |
awarded 10 January 1946 for actions in 1942 |
| 1939-1945 Star | ||
| Pacific Star Pacific Star The Pacific Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. It was also awarded to certain foreign servicemen, such as Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz of the United States.-Entitlement:... |
||
| Defence Medal (United Kingdom) | ||
| War Medal 1939–1945 War Medal 1939–1945 The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea... |
||
| Australia Service Medal 1939-45 Australia Service Medal 1939-45 The Australia Service Medal 1939-45 recognises service by Australia's armed forces, Mercantile Marine and Volunteer Defence Corps during World War II.... |
Further reading
- Matthews, David, 2008, The Duke: A Hero's Hero at Sandakan. Captain Lionel Matthews GC, MC West Lakes, South Australia: Seaview Press. ISBN 9781740084864
