‘Mattie’ was born 18 September 1920 in Richmond. By age 14 he was working an Apprentice Silversmith, then as a Greaser (Wiper) with the Merchant Navy at age 20.
Mathew’s first job as a merchant seaman, was as a coal trimmer on the Barwon, a cargo ship owned by Huddart Parker. After then working for the Adelaide Steam Ship Company and the Union Steam Ship Company, Mathew was then later recruited to the Centaur in early 1943 as a wiper in the “down below crew”. This was whilst Centaur was still being converted at Princes Pier at Port Melbourne.
Mattie Morris was a little luckier than others who lost their lives on the Centaur. After the sinking, at first, he found himself alone in the water, blinded by salt and oil. But when his vision returned, he spied a small raft a short distance away, so he swam over and climbed into it. Then he spotted his fellow crew mate, Walter Tierney, and hauled him onboard. As daylight came, the pair saw something floating in the distance and paddled towards it. It turned out to be the wheelhouse, so they lashed their raft to it and joined the 30 or so people already there.
The survivors spent all that day huddled on the makeshift raft. There was less than 10 litres of water on hand, and that was doled out sparingly. Several of the survivors had severe burns to their bodies. One was Captain Salt, a pilot from the Torres Strait Pilot Service, who had run through a wall of flame to escape the sinking ship. Despite his painful injuries, he kept morale up, reassuring everyone that help would soon be on the way. Another badly burned was Private John Walder who was crammed up next to Mathew. Sadly, John passed away and after Sister Savage had said Rosary with Mathew, they then buried him at sea.
Matthew Morris led choruses of “Roll out the Barrel,” “Waltzing Matilda,” and other wartime favourites to keep people from thinking about their plight.
In January 1990, Mathew Morris was interviewed by Harry Martoni for The Keith Murdock Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45. The recordings and transcript can be found on the Australian War Memorial website here: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C235691
Taken from the November 2011 newsletter.
About 30 people farewelled one of the last remaining survivors of the torpedoed AHS Centaur at a moving ceremony on 14 April 2010. Friends and family gathered at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital’s Anzac Memorial Chapel for an hour-long service to remember Matthew Morris. Mattie was a 23-year-old merchant seaman on the ship when it was torpedoed. He died at Regis Amaroo Nursing Home in Ringwood aged 89.
Civil celebrant Ted Worthington spoke about Mattie’s life as a silversmith before he became a merchant seaman on the Centaur. He later had an unsuccessful marriage before buying a house in Richmond, where he lived until moving to the Ringwood Nursing Home several years ago.
Friends spoke glowingly of a gentleman who was not afraid to have a laugh. Lifelong friend Doody Martin, 85, said she had known Mr Morris since they were children: “I was his girlfriend though we both went our separate ways and married others, but we remained friends until he died.” Mrs Martin said Mattie had a ‘dry sense of humour’. “He always wanted to marry me but I would say he drank too much and he would laugh,” she said. “He was a terrific guy with a heart of gold.”
Regis Amaroo activities assistant Liz Van Meurs, who helped care for Mattie in his final years, said she would remember a ‘total gentleman’. “He was a pleasure to look after; you would open a door for him and he would stand there with his walking stick waiting for you to go first.”
Fellow Centaur survivor Martin Pash, 87, attending the funeral had been close friends with Mattie since they met on the ship. “He was a great mate.”
Austin Health Veteran Liaison Officer Robert Winther said it was fitting that Mr Morris’s funeral was held at the chapel. “This wing is called the Centaur Wing and the plaques commemorate all who served on the Centaur,” Mr Winther said.