27656, Captain, John Reginald DURHAM-MATTHEWS
Aged 36
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Born in Q2-1903 [Portsmouth 2b:514], lived in SW London. Son of Durham Simpson and Eileen MATTHEWS (née TALBOT-POWER).
1911 census...Aged 8 he was in Ireland,near Dublin, with his parents. There is a record of a marriage between a John Reginald Durham Matthews to Hilary M KEATING in Westminster in 1927, she apparently was with him when he arrived back from USA in 1934 on the "Olympic". In 1936 she seems to be going to Egypt on the MS "Dempo" with a 3 year old Jeremy Francis Patrick DURHAM-MATTHEWS. There is an unsbstantiated record of him marrying Phillipa Avril in California in 1939. No maiden name is recorded. Husband of Philippa Avril DURHAM-MATTHEWS of Chelsea who later married Wallace D FINLAYSON (1947 - Westminster) As yet not found their Newmarket connection but presumably via Major Durham Matthews O.B.E. who once owned Lanwades Park ( he is in the telephone book for Kentford in 1939). John and his father were regular soldiers. Father died in Newmarket in 1950. In the 1939 register John, an Army officer, was at 127 Piccadilly, City of Westminster, London |
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John was lost at sea when HMT Chrobry, an ex Polish liner was carrying troops near Skaanland in the Narvik operation was bombed by Luftwaffe Heinkel HE111's
Most of the Guards senior officers and 3 Company Officers (John was i/c 2 Company) were killed, including John. 700 survivors were picked up and the vessel was scuttled the following day
by aircraft from HMS Ark Royal Only established in December 2012, the Arctic Star, albeit primarily instituted for those who served on the Arctic convoys, is also awarded to Army personnel on operations north of the Arctic Circle. "The History of the Irish Guards during Second World War", FitzGerald, pages 42-47 gives a comprehensive account of the events involving Chrobry.: |
Chrobry pre-war
from a painting by Polish artist Adam Werka of the event
© Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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