Name
Herbert George Matthews
15/11/1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/09/1918
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
208673
Royal Garrison Artillery
37th Siege Battery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BARD COTTAGE CEMETERY
I. AA. 2.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
"UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS"
UK & Other Memorials
Hoddesdon and Rye Park Town Memorial, Hoddesdon, St Catherine and St Paul’s Church Memorial, Hoddesdon
Pre War
Herbert George MATTHEWS was born on 15th November 1882, in Ponders End, Middlesex, son of James Thomas Matthews a Florist and Gertrude Matthews (nee Newnan). One of their six children. His parents were married on 11th December 1880, at December 1880, at Saint James Church, Enfield Highway, Middx.
Herbert was Baptised on 28th January 1883, at St Matthews Church, Ponders End, Middlesex.
1891 Census records Herbert aged 8, living with his parents, two brothers and three sisters at 7 Langford Cottages, South Street, Enfield, Middx. The family had a live-in General Domestic Servant.
1901 Census, Herbert (18) is working as a House Painter, he is recorded as a boarder with Walter and Agnes Prior and their family at Hill Farm, Wissington, Suffolk.
1911 Census, Herbert (27) is living back with his parents and sister Mable (21) at West Hill Cottages, Hoddesdon, Herts. He is recorded as a House Painter.
Herbert Married Edith Mary Sams of Hoddesdon, the daughter of James and Mary Ann Sams, in the early part of 1912, in Hoddesdon, Herts. They went on to have one son Herbert Frank Matthews born on 1st November 1914.
At the time of his death the family were living at 31 Hertford Road, Hoddesdon, Herts.
Wartime Service
Herbert enlisted in Hoddesdon, Herts, on 11th December 1915, posted to the Army reserve on 12th December 1915, aged 33, he gave his occupation as a Jobbing Builder and lived at 5 Amwell Street, Hoddesdon, Herts.
Mobilised for war service in April 1918, and posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) with the service No. 208673. He was deployed to the Western Front, sailing from Southampton on 31st July 1918, arriving at Le Havre, France, the following day the 1st August 1918, he was transferred to 37th Siege Battery, RGA on 6th August 1918.
He was killed in action the following month on 24th September 1918, aged 35. He is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium. Grave Ref: I. AA.
Additional Information
Edith was awarded a grant of £5, on 29th October 1918, a widow’s pension of 32s/9d, from the 14th April 1919, and his effects of 18s/11d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £4-01s-01d.
His brother Leading Seaman 229890 Frank Richardson Matthews died on 15th August 1916, aboard H.M. Submarine E.4. when it sank in the North Sea during a training exercise and is also commemorated on these memorials.
We believe his sister Edith Kate Matthews was a Staff Nurse and enlisted in Queen Alexanders Imperial Military Nursing Service in May 1917, serving in various Stationary Hospitals in France during the war, she returned to England in the early part of 1920.
His service record is available on-line at Ancestry UK www.ancestry.co.uk and Find my Past UK www.findmypast.co.uk
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Malcolm Lennox
