Albert Edwards Matthews

Albert Edwards Matthews

Albert (Ted) Edward Matthews was the last of the ANZACS. He died at the age of 101, 82 years after he landed to help forge the best Australian legend in Gallipoli. His death removed the link with the most significant moment of Australian history and the final memories of the act that began the entire tradition of ANZAC. Ted Matthews, one of the men who went to shore in the first Gallipoli landing in 1915, April 25th was the last survivor.

On the morning of December 20, 1915 Ted was among the final men evacuated from Gallipoli, even though 8 months earlier 25th April, 1915, he was one of the first to arrive in Gallipoli. He was a witness to the madness that was going on. He always said that he could never recall firing even one shot at Gallipoli, although, in recent years he had a faint memory of firing one bullet at a fleeing Turk. "I hope I missed the poor bugger," he said.

After Gallipoli, he was very lucky by having a notebook in his chest pocket after being hit in the chest by Turkish shrapnel. The notebook was a gift from his mother. Ted Matthews went on to fight in France, Belgium and at Villers-Bretonneux, where the Australians won the fight against the Germans and helped to bring the war to an end.

Ted Matthews quietly disliked to talk about the war. Although he did, as if talking about it meant he could still serve his country and his mates that sadly passed away. Every ANZAC remembrance day was a day he really thought about war. But on ANZAC day he tried to put aside his disgust and do what he thought was his duty.

On Ted Matthews last Anzac day he said, "It's not for old diggers to remember, it's for survivors to warn the young about the dangers of romanticizing war." The people of Australia honoured the contributions Ted Matthews made to his country by giving him a State Funeral with full military honours.