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Record #5495
Name :
: Frederick Noel MATTHEWS (1922 - 2003)
  aka : Noel
  aka : Jo


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 23 Dec 1922   Notes : Source: Fairbridge Kids

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 3 Dec 2003   Notes : Source: MCB WA
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Lancashire, Liverpool

Mar qtr 1923, 8b 329, mmn MATTHEWS (FreeBMD)
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialAustralia, Western Australia
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: May 1931
Country
: Australia

Ship
: Largs Bay

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Fairbridge Homes
NotesIn 1931, Frederick Matthews, 8, arrived at Fremantle, Australia, in a group of 13 children from the Child Emigration Society, Strand, London, England. He was placed in Nelson Cottage at Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra, Australia.

In 2001, Michael Zekulich reported:

"For 60 years, a pair of army boots has earned Claremont great-grandfather Fred Matthews the nickname Cowboy.

They were the first heavy-duty pair of boots he ever had and were issued to him at Northam in 1941 on his way to war.

The former Fairbridge farm school orphan had worked on a dairy farm at Narrogin and was used to waking at 4:30am to milk the cows.

He awoke at the same time on his first night at the Northam army camp and decided to go for a walk in his new boots, waking all and sundry.

'What the hell is that?' a sleepy voice asked.

'It's that bloody cowboy,' another muttered -- and the name stuck.

Mr Matthews, now 79, was born in Liverpool, England. He came to Australia in 1931 to learn about farming and discipline.

'The Fairbridge discipline, which taught you to respect and help everyone, helped me survive 3 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Singapore, on the Thai Burma railway and in Japan,' he said.

'Without that and the mateship I would not have carried through.'

After his capture in Singapore in 1942, the army boots lasted only three months, falling to pieces under the conditions.

Mr Matthews will travel by vehicle in tomorrow's Anzac Day parade, a legacy of badly ulcerated legs from his wartime experiences. With him will be six others from the 2/4th WA Machine Gun Battalion, for it is now also too far for them to walk.

The spirited Mr Matthews still recalls the shock of the Allied surrender to the Japanese. 'We thought we were going to counter-attack,' he said. 'It never happened. Instead, we were told to put down our arms.'"

"Jo's" story was told by his friend T. K. Waldron, on December 4, 2003, at 14248 Legislative Assembly of the Parliment of Australia. Mr. Waldron declared:

I would like to acknowledge a great Western Australian, Australian and old mate who sadly passed away earlier this week. Frederick Noel Matthews, commonly known as ?Jo? or ?Cowboy? to his wartime mates, was born in England and came to Western Australia as a very young Fairbridge farm boy, spending his childhood and early teen years at Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra.

When World War II broke out, Jo joined the second fourth machine-gun battalion and went to Singapore. He was captured at the fall of Singapore and spent three and a half years as a prisoner of war in Changi, working on the Burma Railroad including working on the notorious Hellfire Pass, and in Japan until the end of the war. His POW mates have informed me over the years that Jo?s never-say-die attitude, his humour and resourcefulness were an inspiration to all through those dark, POW days.

Jo, a great survivor, returned, worked in the Williams district, took up farming in Kojonup and married his beloved Marion. Jo played a large role in the Kojonup and Changerup communities, particularly in sport, which he always loved. I can personally vouch for the fact that he was a colourful and loud cricket and football supporter.

Jo played a major role in the Fremantle Army Museum and in tracing lost relatives for families from the war years. He was a great man, a character, a leader and above all a terrific family man. Jo leaves behind his wife, Marion, four children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They will miss him dearly, as will the whole community and I. I am proud and fortunate to have known and been a friend of Jo Matthews."

Frederick Noel Matthews is remembered on the Fairbridge Memorial Wall. 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-03-09 12:24:48 / From original database

Additional Contributions from : mollipops1

Last Updated : 2009-03-14 18:50:46 /

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3014 ABBOTT, Adelaide1872ENG, LAN, Manchester Jul 1876 : Sardinian CAN MacPherson Homes  
3017 ABBOTT, Alexander1879ENG, LAN, Blackburn May 1889 : Polynesian CAN Salford Catholic Protection and Rescue Society  
3018 ABBOTT, John William1877ENG, LAN, Manchester May 1889 : Polynesian CAN Salford Catholic Protection and Rescue Society  
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3121 ACKERLEY, John1888ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1900 : Vancouver CAN Liverpool Sheltering Home  
3122 ACKERLEY, Thomas William1886ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1900 : Vancouver CAN Liverpool Sheltering Home  
3163 ADAIR, Millicent1880ENG, LAN, Liverpool Jul 1897 : Parisian CAN Louisa Birt  
13137 ADAMSON, Arthur1893ENG, LAN, Bury May 1905 : Victorian CAN Maria Rye  
8819 ADAMSON, John 1891ENG, LAN, Oldham May 1905 : Victorian CAN Maria Rye  
9868 ADAMSON, John1897ENG, LAN, Liverpool Jun 1906 : Victorian CAN Louisa Birt  
3970 ADDISON, Florence1893ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1908 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
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17080 ADGEY, Robert Hugh1885ENG, LAN, Liverpool Mar 1902 : Dominion CAN Louisa Birt  
8820 AINDOW, Albert Edward1894ENG, LAN, Formby Jun 1911 : Virginian CAN Sailing Alone  
5658 AINSWORTH, Ellen 1895ENG, LAN, Liverpool Oct 1906 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
5662 AINSWORTH, Mary1896ENG, LAN, Liverpool Oct 1906 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
2852 AIRD, Arthur1895ENG, LAN Apr 1911 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
17052 ALDRED, Eric Woodman1894ENG, LAN, Manchester  Apr 1910 : Victorian CAN MacPherson Homes  
7961 ALEXANDER, George1913ENG, LAN, Fleetwood Apr 1930 : Letitia CAN Church Army  
26974 ALEXANDER, Reginald Gordon1917ENG, LAN, West Derby Jan 1928 : Barrabool AUS Fairbridge Homes  
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2735 ALLEN, Harry Edward1898ENG, LAN Jul 1908 : Canada CAN National Childrens Home  
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20159 ALLEY, Emma1891ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1911 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
6312 ALLEY, Henry Herbert1896ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1910 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
4706 ALMOND, Elizabeth1879ENG, LAN, Newton, Manchester May 1891 : Oregon CAN Boys and Girls Refuge (Manchester)  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 744 Entries        
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