| Regimental number | 919 |
| Place of birth | Rous Mill, Richmond River, New South Wales |
| School | Rous Mill Public School, New South Wales |
| Religion | Protestant |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Address | Rous PO, Rous, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 28 |
| Height | 5' 5.5" |
| Weight | 133 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, David Mathers, Rous PO, Rous, New South Wales |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Lismore, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 15th Battalion, F Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/32/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A40 Ceramic on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 15th Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Died whilst prisoner of war in Turkey. Took part in the landing at Gallipoli, was wounded in leg, however returned to firing line for some months afterwards. He relinquished a farm & herd of cattle when he enlisted. (details from father) |
| Fate | Died of illness whilst a Prisoner of War |
| Place of death or wounding | Turkey |
| Age at death | 30 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 31 |
| Place of burial | Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery (Angora Memorial 108), Iraq |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 76 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: David and Rosetta Caldwell MATHERS, 'Newark', Rous, New South Wales |
| Family/military connections | Brother: 2178 Pte Thomas James MATHERS, 15th Bn, killed in action, 8 August 1915. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 12 April 1915. Wounded in action (bullet wound, left foot: slight), date not shown; admitted to 17th General Hospital, Alexandria, 30 April 1915; transferred to Comvalescent Camp, Mustapha, 13 May 1915; discharged to duty, 18 June 1915. Embarked Alexandria, 14 July 1915; rejoined Bn, Gallipoli, 19 July 1915. Wounded in action, Lone Pine, 8 August 1915; taken Prisoner of War. Red Cross, Cairo, 20 November 1915, noted: 'Unoff. reported prisoner in Constantinople'. Interned at Afio Karahissar; interned at Pozanti; transferred from Bilemedik to Angora. Died of typhus, Angora, 17 February 1917. Extract from letter, 958 Trooper G.A. ROBERTS, 1st Light Horse Regiment (POW, Angora, Turkey), Red Cross File No 1730810: 'We are not allowed to attend the burial of a fellow prisoner. When they die in Hospital they are taken to a room in the Hospital and washed, and then conveyed on a stretcher to the Hospital Grave Yard and buried by Turks (Shrouds are unnecessary luxuries to these people) There are no marks to shew (sic) who is buried in certain places. We know they are English that is all.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal Base Records wrote to father, 3 February 1928: '... I have now to inform you that the remains of this soldier [919 C. MATHERS] were originally reported to be interred in Angora Cemetery, Asia Minor. In accordance with the [Imperial War Graves] Commission's policy of concentrating all isolated burials in in established Military Cemeteries under British control the graves in this Cemetery were removed to Baghdad. Unfortunately in the case of your son and certain other members of the Imperial and Dominion Forces, no surface markings could be traced, and it was found impossible otherwise to identify the actual places of burial of these soldiers. In the circumstances it is proposed to erect a special Kipling Memorial in the Cemetery at Baghdad bearing he names and regimental partibulars of the Fallen, together with the Following wording: TO THE MEMORY OF THESE 265 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO DIED AS P. OF W. AND WERE BURIED AT THE TIME IN THE CEMETERY AT ANGORA, ADA, BAZER, BOZANTI, ISLAHIE BUT WHOSE GRAVES ARE NOW LOST. "THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT." It is also the intention of the Commission to erect separate permanent headstones in the Memorial Plot at Baghdad in order to give suitable expression to next of kins' wishes for the addition of personal inscriptions, etc.' |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, MATHERS Chapman
Red Cross file 1730810 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
