Peaked cap : Sergeant J R Matthews, 7 Battalion, AIF

Australian Army Other Ranks khaki woollen peaked cap with a quilted cotton lining. The cap has a brass 'Rising Sun' badge and a brown leather chinstrap.

This uniform belonged to James Reginald Matthews, of Melbourne, Victoria. A salesman by trade, Matthews enlisted as a private in 7 Battalion on 17 August 1914, aged 24 years. He was assigned the service number 50 and embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT Hororata on 19 October 1914, arriving in Egypt on 2 December. Matthews took part in the second wave of landings at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and received a bullet wound to the shoulder. He was evacuated to hospital in Heliopolis. On 9 May 1915 he went to a convalescent camp prior to his return to 7 Battalion on 22 June. Matthews was wounded in the back for a second time on 12 August at Lone Pine and was sent to hospital in Malta, aboard HS Regina de Italie. Matthews was admitted to hospital also suffering shock and enteric fever on 2 September 1915. He was then transferred to England and admitted to hospital in Birmingham on 29 October 1915. Matthews was promoted to temporary corporal on 1 November 1916 and sent to France for court martial duty on 7 July 1917. He returned to England and was promoted extra regimental sergeant on 1 September 1917. He then began working for the pay corps. He married an English woman named Caroline on 13 April 1918 (the wedding portrait is held at P04219.001) and they returned to Australia aboard ‘Balmoral Castle’ on 25 February 1919. They arrived in Melbourne on 13 April and Matthews was discharged on 25 May 1919.

• Service dress tunic : Sergeant J R Matthews, 7 Battalion, AIF
• Mounted service breeches : Sergeant J R Matthews, 7 Battalion, AIF