GIBSON, Matthew Rae

Matthew, the son of James and Mary Gibson, was born at Inverell. He attended Inverell Public School and Sydney Grammar School before working on family properties in the Walgett district of NSW.

At the age of twenty four he enlisted on 10 October 1914, becoming a Private with the 6th Light Horse Regiment, A Squadron. He sailed from Sydney on the transport ship A29 Suevic just before Christmas 1914, arriving in Egypt the following February. Initially authorities believed the Light Horsemen were not needed at Gallipoli, however following the huge loss of life there these men were sent as reinforcements, without their horses.

Matthew's War was short. He received a gunshot wound to his left eye at Gallipoli and was transferred to Lemnos for treatment, returning to duty two weeks later. Just five weeks afterwards he was wounded in the chest and subsequently died of wounds on 19 July 1915.

Private Matthew Rae Gibson was buried at Beach Cemetery, Anzac, Gallipoli. At Inverell his name is inscribed on the Honor Roll and Cenotaph. He is one of the 215 men for whom a memorial tree was planted in Kurrajong Parade during 1919.

Photo: Private collection