Wild Knights In No-Man's Land: The Korean War recalled by a New Zealand Infantry Officer

Major S. Bruce Matthews M.B.E. E.D. was born in Auckland in 1929, the eldest of four children to Daphne and Jim Matthews. Jim Matthews was a Territorial Officer and in WW2 served in the Pacific with the Fijian Infantry. Daphne Matthews was an officer in the St John’s Ambulance for many years.

When the Territorial units were reintroduced in New Zealand in 1949 Bruce immediately volunteered and was one of the first to be commissioned in the 1st Auckland Regiment in 1952. On commissioning, he put in an application to be seconded to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, which was already in action in Korea. Accepted by the Australians, he subsequently replaced a new Zealand Duntroon graduate, who was killed patrolling in a no-man’s land. After Korea, Bruce spent a further 15 years in the Territorials.