known 1900
Thanks to the census reference Walter begins to emerge from the anonymity of his remembrance at the Thiepval Memorial with the South African Services. See https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/805460/matthews,-walter-john/ There's a record at Find My Past WO 97/Box 5486/Box record number 79 of his attestation in 1900 with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry . . His father was said to be in "North America" at the time. His mother Mary was at the same address in Penzance given on the 1911 census. The record states that Walter served three months at home and in March 1900 was posted to South Africa. This would have been towards the end of the Anglo-Boer War .
Created by: , Janet2378
Born 1877
Died 1916
South African Services 502 Corporal 4th South African Infantry Killed either at Delville Wood or Waterloo Farm