AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Matheson, Donald George Melbourne

John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Matheson
  • FORENAME
Donald George Melbourne
  • UNIT
2/3 Commando Squadron
  • RANK
Lieutenant Colonel
  • NUMBER
WX11483
  • DATE OF DEATH
30th January 1944
  • AGE
39
  • GRAVESITE
Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery,Papua New Guinea A3.F.4
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 1904 Waiki,New Zealand
son of John and Caroline Matheson
husband of Vera Mabel Matheson,Toorak,Victoria
enlisted 9.4.1941 Claremont,South Australia
awarded D.S.C. (US)
KIA Guadalcanal (attached USMC)
 

DATE OF DEATH:

30-Jan-1944

AWARD:

https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/matheson-donald-george-melbourne.34324/

CITATION:

Distinguished Service Cross : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel Donald G. Matheson, Australian Imperial Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy, during the period from 19 December to 27 December 1943, on Guadalcanal, while serving as Liaison Officer (G-3), II Island Command. Lieutenant Colonel Matheson volunteered to lead a patrol consisting of one other officer and four native scouts on a hazardous reconnaissance mission over a difficult mountain range. The patrol succeeded in locating several trails, each of which was scouted in order to select the best route over the mountains. While en route the patrol passed through and in the rear of the enemy lines, locating, among other things, the positions of some one thousand of the enemy. The area in which the enemy were located could not be reached by artillery or naval gun fire and was concealed from air observation. Consequently the position of this heavy concentration of enemy troops would not have been located had it not been for the efforts of this patrol. This, and much other valuable information obtained by the patrol, after traveling a distance of over ninety miles, were used later and aided greatly in the success of operations in the area.

WEB LINKS:

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/17096
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1684627

FINDAGRAVE:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23790296/donald-george_melbourne-matheson
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