In a unique naturalisation ceremony Signaller John (Jean ?) Marie Gerome Mathieu, a Belgian, ...

In a unique naturalisation ceremony Signaller John (Jean ?) Marie Gerome Mathieu, a Belgian, became an Australian citizen in Tokyo, Japan. On 13 June 1955, Signaller Mathieu, a member of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals (RA Sigs), had his naturalisation papers certified by Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) W W D Daunt, Commander British Commonwealth Sub Area, Tokyo, in the Commander's office at Ebisu Camp, Tokyo.. Here Signaller Mathieu is congratulated by Lt Col Daunt after the ceremony. John was born in Antwerp, Belgium, and during the last year of the Second World War served with the British Army as an interpreter. He was stationed in Antwerp, and at that time was a member of the Air Scouts, a similar service to the Australian Air Training Corps. In 1949 Signaller Mathieu migated to Australia and for a time worked as a jackeroo in south west Queensland. He joined the Australian Army in November 1952, but a series of postings took him through Marrickville, Balcombe, and Kure and Tokyo in Japan, delaying the naturalisation procedure which would normally have followed his acceptance into one of the three services. Signaller Mathieu is serving with RA Sigs in the British Commonwealth Forces Korea (BCFK) based in Japan.