Other Information:Matthew enlisted into the Medical Staff Corps on 30th January 1889. He was 18 years old; was a Baker by trade; and was living at 13 Alderbank Terrace, North Merchiton, Edinburgh at the time. He entered at the rank of Class 3 Orderly, then was appointed a Class 2 Orderly on 5th May 1891, and a Class 1 Orderly on 28th September 1892. On 11th June 1894 he gained promotion to the rank of Corporal. He first saw active service in South Africa from 1899 to 1902, for which he received the Queen�s and the King�s South African Medals. In 1907 he was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. On 11th June 1908 he gained promotion to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and was serving under this rank when he entered the war in France on the 16th August 1914 with the 4th Field Ambulance. In the early hours of 26th August, the 4th Field Ambulance were ordered to go to Landrecies to treat and evacuate the wounded. A couple of hours after entering the town the Germans arrived, and Matthew became one of 219 of the rank and file of the R.A.M.C. to be held captive there. He was taken to Germany entering Sennelager POW camp on 2nd September 1914. On 29th June 1915 he was repatriated back to the UK. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of devotion to duty and valuable services rendered whilst a prisoner of war. On 4th August 1915 he left the UK to serve with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, where he served until 26th April 1916 when he went to India. On 4th July 1916, whilst serving at No 34 General Hospital, Deolali, India, he was appointed a commission at the rank of Lieutenant and Quartermaster. He was stationed in Bombay on 2nd August 1916.
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