Born in Ballarat on 18 July 1891, (Jessie) May Mathews was a single 25 year old nurse at the time of her enlistment on the 25th of May 1917. Her unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Mooltan on 12 June 1917 and disembarked at Suez on 19 July 1917. A week later, May was sailing for Salonika, Greece aboard Chagres from Port Said.
On 25 February 1919, May arrived from Salonika, disembarking at Southampton, England for duty at No. 1 Australian General Hospital.
On the 12th of July 1919, May was promoted to Sister and she remained in England until she returned to Australia on the 9th of March 1920 aboard Friedrichsruhe She was discharged on the 31st of July 1920.
Jessie May Mathews died on 19 April 1955 at Heidelberg, Victoria, was cremated at the Necropolis, Springvale and her ashes were scattered.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records her name as May Matthews.
Her brother Martin Mathews also served in the AIF and is honoured with a tree in the Avenue.