Leslie William Matthews was born at Maryborough then educated at Ararat State School. In his early adult years he had success as a gold miner in the Talbot area before undertaking teacher training at Pleasant Street State School in Ballarat. Then he decided that teaching, like mining, was not for him and he enrolled in a civil engineering course at the School of Mines. Around this time, as the spectre of a world war was looming, he met Ellen ‘Nell’ Tucker from Wendouree Parade. With many years of Militia service behind him he enlisted as a Captain in March 1915 at the age of 28. He married Nell on April 30th then left Australia just 10 days later aboard the Euripides. After some time in Egypt he sailed for Gallipoli aboard the Southland only to be torpedoed off Lemnos on September 2nd. Les made it safely to shore and a week later he landed at Gallipoli where his younger brother Jack had been killed a month earlier. After service on Gallipoli, at the rank of Major he transferred to the 22nd Battalion on the Western Front where, in 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (second only to the Victoria Cross for commissioned officers), his citation reading: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This officer commanded his battalion in an attack, previous to which he had reconnoitred the jumping off ground, and throughout all the arrangements and dispositions. During the attack he moved about under heavy fire, keeping in touch with the situation, directing and controlling the men, and by prompt action in altering dispositions, minimized the losses from shell fire. After the war he returned safely to Australia and to Nell. He died in 1980 at the age of 92.