Battle dress blouse: Major F R Matyear, Royal Australian Army Medical Corps

Australian army officer's wool twill khaki battle dress blouse with red cloth 'Royal Australian Army Medical Corps' shoulder titles and a woven formation sign for Southern Command (Victoria) sewn below each title. The shoulder straps bear embroidered rank insignia for a major. The blouse fastens down the front with concealed brown plastic buttons. Similar smaller buttons fasten the cuffs and pleated breast pockets. There are two medal ribbon bars above the left pocket. The inside of the right side of the blouse bears a red woven manufacturer's label, 'M.TX SIZE 2'. Beneath this is a label which reads 'REGIMENTAL NO.....NAME....'. Below this in black ink are stamped the words 'D (broad arrow) D' MADE IN AUSTRALIA 1951'.

This battle dress blouse was worn by QX19060 Major Frederick Richard Matyear. Born in Cardiff, Wales, on 24 December 1915, Matyear was a pharmacist and industrial chemist in civilian life. He served with the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC) in the CMF with the service number Q185074 from 22 September 1939 to 9 January 1941, during which time he was commissioned a lieutenant on 1 November 1940. He enlisted in the Second AIF on 10 January 1941serving in the Middle East from March 1941 until the end of January 1942. Matyear had been promoted to captain in June 1941. In January 1942 he was promoted to temporary major, the rank being made permanent in September 1942. He returned to Australia in March 1942, where he married Jean Irene. In August 1942 Matyear arrived in New Guinea as the officer in charge of 2/4 Australian Advance Depot, Medical Stores. He had a staff of eight other ranks and the unit worked to maintain supplies to hospitals, field ambulances and casualty clearing stations. It was also responsible for packing medical supplies to be air dropped to forward units. On one occasion, with only his small team of eight men, almost 750 kilograms of stores were packed and sent forward in five days. Deliveries usually had to be ready for loading on to aircraft at 5 am, so the unit would work through the night to get them ready on time. In January 1943 Matyear was put in command of the New Guinea Force Depot Medical Stores (NGF Depot Med Stores). He was mentioned in despatches for his work with the depot in New Guinea. He continued serving in New Guinea until December 1943 when he returned to Australia. He spent the rest of the war serving in Australia. His last posting was with the Headquarters Australian Military Forces Depot of Medical and Veterinary Stores. Matyear was discharged on 23 November 1945. He may have re-enlisted or returned to the militia, as this uniform was manufactured in 1951. Major Matyear died in 1982.