Name
Bertram John Matthews
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/11/1917
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
265353
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn., attached Hertfordshire Regiment
No. 4 Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 48 to 50 and 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, 4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Kimpton Village Memorial St Peter & St Paul Church, Kimpton, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Bertram John Matthews was born in Kimpton in 1889, the son of Thomas and Sophia Matthews (née Peacock) and baptised in Kimpton on 19 January 1890. His parents were married on 10 December 1878, Kimpton.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Kimpton Bottom, where his father was working as an agricultural labourer.
His father died in 1898 and on the 1901 Census Bertram was living with his widowed mother, listed as head of household, and older brothers William and Charles at Kimpton Bottom. His mother was working as a charwoman, William was a painter and Charles was a stockman on a farm, with 11 year old Bertram a scholar.
In 1911, Bertram and his brother Charles remained living in Kimpton Bottom with their mother although Charles was now listed as head of household. His brother was a bricklayer's labourer and Bertram was a plumber. Brother William was then married with two children and was also living in Kimpton Bottom and working as a plumber.
He enlisted in the Herfordshire Territorial Force with the service number 2236, meaning that he enlisted between
He was born in Kimpton and his home was there. He enlisted between 28 January 1913 and 1 January 1914
Before he went to war he had worked for Messrs. Goldhawk and Son.
Officially Bertram was recorded as born in Kimpton and was living there when he enlisted in Whitwell.
Wartime Service
As Bertram was already a serving Territorial, he had been trained to a good extent. They were only required to serve in the United Kingdom, but like many others he volunteered for overseas service in August 1914 and was sent to France, landing there on 6th November 1914.
Bertram was in 4 Company of the Hertfordshire Regiment and was renumbered to 265353 early in 1917. At the time of his death he was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment but attached to the Hertfordshire Regiment according to the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and he was killed in action.
It is unlikely that he was killed while serving with the Bedfords as their 1st Battalion had started on a route march on their way from the Ypres area to Italy. In the case of the Hertfordshires, they had been fighting in the Battle of Polygon Wood in the Ypres Salient, but there was no major engagement round about the date of his death. However, the steady attrition continued into the winter.
The news of his death news of his death was sent in a letter from Capt. John Christie. Who wrote: “Dear Mrs. Matthews. Dash --- It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that your son was killed in action on the 24th inst.; Death was instantaneous. Please accept the deepest sympathy of all the officers and men of No. 4 Company. Your son was an efficient Lewis gunner and a splendid soldier. He will be greatly missed by all, who recognize him as a great asset to the Regiment in which he served so long and so devotedly. He had only just come back from leave and it is a consolation to know you saw him so recently. All the old n.c.o.s and men are most grieved at losing such an old comrade and one of those whom we can least afford to lose.”
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 153 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
Additional Information
After his death £9 13s 7d was authorised to go to his mother, Mrs Sophia Matthews, on 19 March 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £15 was authorised to be paid to her on 20 November 1919.
His pension cards record his widow, dependant, living at Kimpton Bottom, nr Welwyn, Herts.n. She was awarded a pension of 8s from 11 June 1918 to 30 September 1919 and it seems she was then awarded 9s 7d a week for life from 11 April 1922.
It was recorded in December 1917 that an elder was wounded 12 months before and his hand was amputated and he was consequently discharged.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/Hertsregt,
