Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Assessment/Lionel Matthews

Article promoted by Kges1901 (talk) via MilHistBot (talk) 23:20, 17 August 2019 (UTC) &laquo; Return to A-Class review list

Lionel Matthews
Instructions for nominators and reviewers
 * Nominator(s): 

Matthews is the second of the two George Cross recipients from South Australia that I'm moving towards FA. Matthews ran an underground network in the Japanese-run Sandakan POW camp in WWII, and when betrayed, he refused to give up his network. The Japanese executed him. I'm pretty sure it is comprehensive. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 00:58, 1 August 2019 (UTC)

Support Comments
Minor issues really, this article is looking good. Zawed (talk) 06:36, 1 August 2019 (UTC)
 * In the lead, it is stated that Matthews was captured. I don't think this is quite right as it seems that he surrendered with the rest of the 8th Division. Perhaps better to say "at the surrender of Singapore he was captured and became a POW". Also recite POW in full?
 * In the early life section, he joins the militia twice (and its linked twice as well). Perhaps he resigned when he moved from Adelaide to Melbourne?
 * "With only two brigades, Bennett...": perhaps, for better context, it should be mentioned a little earlier in this section that the 8th Division was effectively two brigade division.
 * Some ranks aren't linked but perhaps it is a style thing? You seem to only link ranks when they directly pertain to Matthews.
 * G'day, thanks for taking a look. All done I think? Here are my edits. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 07:33, 1 August 2019 (UTC)
 * All good, am supporting now. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 22:22, 2 August 2019 (UTC)

Comments from AustralianRupert
Support: G'day, PM, this looks excellent to me. I have a couple of very minor comments/observations: AustralianRupert (talk) 07:43, 3 August 2019 (UTC)
 * there are a couple of duplicate links in the lead, but in the circumstances this makes sense to me (no action required)
 * there are no dab links (no action required)
 * ext links all seem to work (no action required)
 * "in Adelaide, South Australia and" --> comma after South Australia?
 * "guerillas" --> "guerrillas"?
 * "sponsored by the The" --> remove second "the"
 * in the References, the London Gazette is probably overlinked
 * this is a limitation of the template, I've asked that a link=no field be added. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 08:18, 3 August 2019 (UTC)
 * No worries, thanks. AustralianRupert (talk) 09:11, 3 August 2019 (UTC)


 * do we know who established the fund to educate his son?
 * the article mentions some (non-notable) names, and it is implied they were former POWs, but it isn't explicitly stated. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 08:18, 3 August 2019 (UTC)
 * No worries. AustralianRupert (talk) 09:11, 3 August 2019 (UTC)


 * brother Geofrey commanded the 9th Infantry Battalion on Bougainville; might be worth a mention:
 * images: licensing looks fine, except:
 * "File:Lionel Colin Matthews.jpg": probably needs a PD-AustraliaGov licence
 * "File:Matthews-VX24587-crop.jpg": same as above
 * sources: appear to be reliable and formatting looks consistent to me
 * a few of the images appear to lack alt text, it might makes sense to add this in:
 * years of service: in the infobox it says 1939-1944, but the text indicates he served as early as 1930 AustralianRupert (talk) 07:46, 3 August 2019 (UTC)
 * G'day, all done I think. Responses per above, and here are my edits. Thanks for taking a look, Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 08:18, 3 August 2019 (UTC)
 * Too easy; your changes look good to me. Regards, AustralianRupert (talk) 09:11, 3 August 2019 (UTC)

Support Comments from Ian
Up to your usual standard, PM -- just a couple of things: That's it really -- I have to admit to reading and copyediting at a pretty fast clip to find out what happened next in his story, so pls let me know any concerns. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 12:07, 16 August 2019 (UTC)
 * Matthews transferred to the Royal Australian Naval Reserve and trained as a signalman, but after he moved to Melbourne, he transferred back to the Militia and was posted to the 3rd Division Signals in April 1939. -- I don't quite understand the chronology or cause-and-effect here: last I heard he was in Melbourne doing social work, then he's in the RANR, then he moves to Melbourne but it looks like he was already there...
 * The brigade was then committed to the Malayan Campaign... -- sorry, which of the two brigades mentioned in the previous sentence do we mean?
 * Thanks, I've re-ordered some of the Early life and career section material to make it clearer, and added it was Matthew's brigade, the 27th. Your changes look good, one minor typo was picked up by JennyOz. Cheers, Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 01:13, 17 August 2019 (UTC)
 * Heh, yes, and I thanked her... Memo: exercise more care when copyediting two military bios more-or-less simultaneously...! Anyway, happy to support. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 01:53, 17 August 2019 (UTC)

Comments Support by CPA-5
That's anything from me. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 15:22, 16 August 2019 (UTC)
 * Sent to Singapore with the rest of the division Link Singapore.
 * to growing concerns about war with Japan Pipe Japan to the Empire of Japan.
 * Link Malay Peninsula.
 * British north-eastern v. American southwest.
 * in the southwest Philippines, who assisted Australian Pipe Philippines to Japanese occupation of the Philippines.
 * Link Borneo.
 * maintain control of the cross road around Ayer Hitam You mean crossroad?
 * At the conclusion of the Malayan Campaign Remove "At the conclusion of" and replace it with "after".
 * Thanks, all done. Cheers, Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 01:23, 17 August 2019 (UTC)
 * Looks great, support. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 21:07, 17 August 2019 (UTC)