https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/matthews/
Ian adds "I always knew that one of my mother’s cousins had died in WW2 but I didn’t know very much of the detail. After my mother died I found a newspaper cutting she had kept all her life reporting that Leslie was missing. My mother was 15 when this happened. From your site I have found his name on the Mount Ornito memorial so I now know where he was and what he was doing when he died. Leslie was born and brought up in Blackpool and I remember my family staying with his mother (Lillian) a few times for a holiday when I was about 10 to 12 years old. I also enclose a scan of picture that I was told was of Leslie and his brother Derek (I think - Derek left & Leslie right) from WW2. Derek survived the war and died in 1997 (newspaper report also shows Derek as serving with a RN Commando). Leslie has no known grave and is commemorated at the Cassino Memorial."

In Memory of 3391673 Private Leslie James Matthews
Border Regiment and No 9 Commando
who died on the 3rd February 1944 aged 21
Remembered with honour on the Cassino Memorial]]> en-us Gallery 2 RSS Module, version 1.1.8 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:11:38 +0100 120 https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/d/40766-5/matthews.jpg https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/matthews/ https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/matthews/Leslie+J+Matthews+and+brother+9+cdo+copy.jpg.html https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/matthews/Leslie+J+Matthews+and+brother+9+cdo+copy.jpg.html
[Photo courtesy of Ian Lancaster].

Leslie was killed in action at Monte Ornito on the 3rd February 1944. A newspaper report on his being MIA also shows his brother Derek as serving with a RN Commando.
In album Private Leslie James Matthews, No.9 Commando kia 3/2/44 Operation Ornito, Italy]]> Pete Rogers (Admin) photo Sat, 27 Sep 2025 19:05:30 +0100 https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/matthews/Leslie+J+Matthews+Newspaper+Reported+Missing+copy.jpg.html https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/matthews/Leslie+J+Matthews+Newspaper+Reported+Missing+copy.jpg.html
[Photo courtesy of Ian Lancaster].

Private Leslie Matthews, No 9 Commando was killed at Monte Ornito.

In Memory of 3391673 Private Leslie James Matthews
Border Regiment and No 9 Commando
who died on the 3rd February 1944 aged 21
Remembered with honour on the Cassino Memorial
In album Private Leslie James Matthews, No.9 Commando kia 3/2/44 Operation Ornito, Italy]]> Pete Rogers (Admin) photo Sat, 27 Sep 2025 19:04:39 +0100