MATTHEWS Francis Oswald Thomas

Francis Matthews was born on 7th January 1897 in Mumbles, Swansea, Wales, the son of George James and Kate Maria Matthews (nee Hodges) who had married in 1886 in Worcester. Kate was born in Hanbury, Worcestershire and it was to Rock in Worcestershire that the family moved less than 4 years later with their 6 children, all under the age of 13. In 1904 Kate died and after 6 years of being a widower, George married Anne Martha Victoria Rounsfell in 1910. On the 1911 census the couple reside at Hill Top Farm, Rock with George’s 2 youngest sons, John and Francis Matthews. All 3 men are recorded as working on the farm.

On 11th April 1912 George, Annie, John and Francis left England to start a new life in America. The family sailed from Southampton on 11th April 1912 on the S.S. Ausonia, their destination Portland, USA. It is not known when the family crossed the border into Canada but they were resident in Saskatchewan by the time Francis enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 25th January 1916 for the duration of the war at Winnipeg, Manitoba. On his attestation paper Francis stated he was resident at the Manor Hotel, Winnipeg and he was employed as a farm labourer. His next of kin was his father the Reverend George James Matthews, Box 186, The Rectory, Fleming Saskatchewan. Francis was 5 feet 5 inches tall with light blue eyes, dark brown hair and a fair complexion.

On 13th March 1916 Francis was admitted to hospital in Winnipeg suffering from severe tonsillitis induced by exposure to cold and wet. He was discharged as recovered 9 days later on 22nd March 1916 and he rejoined his unit. After further preparation and training he embarked on the SS Olympic at Halifax, Nova Scotia on the 28th June 1916, arriving in England on 6th July 1916. His time in the country of his birth was short however, as he was sent overseas on 10th July 1916 arriving in France the following day. He was diagnosed with influenza on 23rd March 1917 and admitted to No 1 Canadian General Hospital at Etaples on 4th April 1917 suffering from myalgia. Having been discharged to Details Camp on 11th April 1917 he finally rejoined his unit from there on 28th May 1917. The Canadian Graves Registry records that Private Francis Thomas Oswald Matthews was killed in action on 30th October during an attack South of Passchendaele as part of the Battle of Ypres.

National Archives of Canada Reference: RG150, Accession 1992-93/166,Box 6045 – 8.

A photograph of F.O.T. Matthews of Worcester can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 24th November 1917, available at Worcestershire Archives.

Francis Matthews has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.