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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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Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  48 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
27084 BELL, Vernon1919ENG, MDX, Brentford Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21063 BENNETT, Florence 1920ENG,     May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27085 CASTLE, Arthur Charles1915ENG, KEN, Thanet Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes Pinjarra1929  
27086 COLES, Arthur William1916ENG, LND, Lambeth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27088 COUCH, Basil William1915ENG, CON, Liskeard Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27087 COUCH, John Lewis1920ENG, CON, Liskeard Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27089 COUCH, Winifred Mary1918ENG, CON, Liskeard Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27090 DOUGLAS, Wilfred Henry1917IRL,    , Belfast Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27091 DUNN, Kathleen Mary1918ENG, WOR, Kings Norton Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27092 EDWARDS, Alfred William1918ENG, STS, Wolverhampton Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27093 ERNEST, Herbert Francis1920ENG, KEN, Greenwich Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21065 FARNELL, Elsie1920ENG, WAR, Aston May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27094 HALLEWELL, Reginald Stanley Colville1916ENG, NFK, Downham Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27300 HEAD, George1915ENG, SRY, Croydon Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21071 HINTON, Arthur1918ENG,     May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27095 HOLYOAK, Thomas Ernest1916ENG, STS, Wolverhampton Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27096 HOLYOAK, Victor John1918ENG, STS, Wolverhampton Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27097 HUNT, Beatrice Sara Georgina1916ENG, LND, Hackney Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27098 HUNT, Mary Emma1918ENG, LND, Hackney Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
5446 INGRAM, Elsie May1918ENG, LND, Lambeth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27099 JONES, David William Dennis1916ENG, CAM, St Ives Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
14629 KNOCKER, Malcolm Amos1920ENG, LND, Lambeth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27290 LEAT, Stephanie1919ENG, WAR, Kings Norton May 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
5495 MATTHEWS, Frederick Noel1922ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27291 MCSHEE, Phyllis1918ENG, ESS, West Ham Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21072 NEWMAN, Reginald1920ENG, SSX, East Preston May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21067 NORTON, Lilian Rose1921ENG, WAR, Birmingham May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27292 PARKES, Winifred Frances1917ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27293 PAYNE, William Vernon1916ENG, LND, Lambeth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27301 PHILLIPS, Mary Ann1918ENG,     Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21069 PRINT, Mary Florence1919ENG, WAR, Birmingham May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27294 PULLINGER, Leslie1917ENG, LND Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27295 ROBERTS, Edward Albert1918ENG,     Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21073 SAUNDERS, Richard1923ENG, LND, Paddington May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21127 SAUNDERS, Thomas1920ENG, LND, Holborn May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21128 SEIFFERT, Denis1919ENG, KEN, Medway May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27296 SMEATON, Andrew1918SCT, STI Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27297 SMITH, Louisa Emma1917ENG, YKS, Thorne Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27298 TEAGER, Elsie Joyce1917ENG, WOR, Droitwich Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21129 TOOZE, Reginald1920ENG, SOM, Wellington May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21070 TURNER, Dorothy Maud1919ENG,     May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
21130 WARWICK, Charles1917ENG, NTH, Kettering May 1931 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
11928 WILSON, Victor George1919ENG, LND Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27299 WILSON, William1915ENG,     Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27302 YORK, Ellen Mary1915ENG, LND, Lambeth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27303 YORK, Hilda1918ENG, LND, Wandsworth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27304 YORK, Maud1919ENG, LND, Wandsworth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27305 YORK, Rose Laura1920ENG, LND, Lambeth Jun 1929 : Largs Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  48 Entries