Name
Ernest Matthews (poss Mathews)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/05/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
142167
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
30th
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 154 to 159 and 163A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Sawbridgeworth Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Sawbridgeworth
Pre War
Ernest Son of Alice Amelia Matthews, of Westbury Rd., Sawbridgeworth, Herts, and the late Charles Matthews. He was born in 1890 in New Sampford, Essex, and the younger brother of Alfred who served and died.
like his brothers, was living with his widowed mother at ‘Brooklands’ in Sayesbury Road and was recorded as a ‘Carman’ employed by Colonel Francis Charrington at Pishiobury House.
Wartime Service
In March 1915, Ernest volunteered and served firstly with the Bedfordshire Regiment before being transferred in March 1918 to the 30th Battalion Machine Gun Corps. This unit was a part of the 30th Division and was involved in the ‘Battles of the Lys’ throughout April 1918. The 30th Battalion MGC took heavy losses at this time.
Ernest’s date of death is given as 10 May 1918, but his unit was not engaged then. It is much more likely that Ernest (who has no known grave) was missing from the end of April, and his death was not officially recorded until later.
Ernest Matthews is also named on the Tyne Cot Memorial. He was aged 28.
The local newspaper reported his death: “Fourth son of Mrs Matthews, of Brooklands, Sayesbury Road, Sawbridgeworth, killed in action on the Western Front on May 10th. He was 29 years of age and a single man. He joined the Army in March 1915, when he enlisted in the Bedfords, previous to which he was employed by Col. Charrington, in the gardens at Pishiobury. This is the third son Mrs Matthews has lost in the war, the other two – Leonard and Alfred Edmund – having both died in Mesopotamia from illness contracted on active service. One son remains in the Army, and another has been granted his discharge.”
Additional Information
Mrs Alice Amelia Matthews had lost her husband shortly before the war began and during the war she lost three of her sons – Ernest, Leonard and Alfred. Her other sons were Bert who signed up was discharged after being declared unfit and William Albert who served and survived.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Douglas Coe
