26 January 2025
Australia Day
After heavy metals were detected seeping into drinking water aboard Collins-class submarines, Chief Petty Officer Matthew turned his office into a laboratory so he could quickly find a solution.
He discovered a type of filter that could remove nickel and cadmium leaching from weld joints in the boat’s pipes, eliminating the need to carry hundreds of litres of bottled drinking water on the already cramped submarines and potentially saving millions in repair costs.
It’s what earned the UK-native a Conspicuous Service Medal as part of the 2025 Australia Day Honours.
After creating a laboratory in the office where he could quickly test submarine water samples, he found a contractor who could supply filters to remove the heavy metals.
Previously, there was a two-week wait to test water as it was sent off site.
Chief Petty Officer Matthew and team then trialled different filters until he found one that worked, collecting and testing hundreds of samples along the way.
“We were looking at changing the pipe work because this contamination was coming from the welds throughout the pipes and tanks,” Chief Petty Officer Matthew said.
“The remediation package would have been really intrusive, very expensive and it would have taken a lot of time.
“This was, you know, an easy, quick, simple fix in the end.”
It’s Chief Petty Officer Matthew’s 26th year of service, first with the Royal Navy and now the Royal Australian Navy.
He said to be recognised and honoured in this way was a memorable personal achievement.
“To get that sort of recognition after you dedicate your life to something is huge,” Chief Petty Officer Matthew said.
“But I’m cognisant of the fact it wasn’t just me. I'm happy for the recognition for spearheading the concept but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the rest of the team.”
