Matthews Joseph Bernard 1887

Joseph Bernard Matthews

 

1887-1967

Father Nm:

Mother Nm:

Marriage Dt:

K comments:
Spouse comments: Isabella Blanch Blincoe [4353] born 18.12.1891 Aston  died January 1961  Birmingham

Children. Dorothy 11 January 1918

BORN 1887

7 September 1887 Birmingham

1911 CENSUS

52 Byron Rd Small Heath Bham Single Occupation Cycle Polisher

WW1

Royal Garrison Artillery

Joseph Bernard Matthews, Gunner, 3251/204251, 3rd Reserves Siege Bde, RGA 140th Siege Batt RGA

1915
  • 11 December. Attested at the Recruitment Office No 3 Warwick St Birmingham. Joseph occupation a cycle polisher living at 101 Herbert Rd Small Heath.Wife given as Blanche Isabella Matthews. On the 12 December Joseph posted to Reserves and returned to work until 1918
1918
  • 23 March. Joseph was mobilised and posted to the Royal Garrison Artilley Home Base.
  • 1 July. After a period in Reserves was posted to  BEF
  • 17 July. Posted to 140th Siege Battery note The 140th Siege Battery waspart of the First Army and equipped with heavy howitzers.
    Heavy Howitzer Guns probably of the sort Siege Batteries would have used . These men are Royal Artillery somewhere in France.

    There are no war diary records for the 140th Siege Battery in 1918 available so we must assume that it took part in 1st army operations across the western front. Casualties for the 140 Siege help locate them on some dates. These records from Geoffs Search Engine a source for all ww1 casualties

    # Surname Initials Ser # Unit Date Burial Place nr Battlefield Plot
    001 BORDER T 145496 140TH SIEGE BTY 01/10/1918 Haynecourt Nr Cambrai I. C. 15.
    002 DAVIES ET 140TH SIEGE BTY 13/10/1918 Haynecourt Nr Cambrai III. C. 9.
    003 DUNN GM 140TH SIEGE BTY 13/10/1918 Haynecourt Nr Cambrai III C. 10.
    004 LANGLEY LJ 338401 140TH SIEGE BTY 30/09/1918 Haynecourt Nr Cambrai I. C. 16.
    005 PICKERING J 165280 140TH SIEGE BTY 04/10/1918 Bucquoy Rd Cemetery Ficheux Arras III. D. 4.
    006 ROBINSON AH 177261 140TH SIEGE BTY 30/08/1918 Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery Arras VII. E. 12.
    007 SMITH W 167344 140TH SIEGE BTY 07/10/1918 Etaples Military Cemetery LXVI. H. 3.
    008 SMITH S 167364 140TH SIEGE BTY 16/10/1918 Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery Sailly Cambrai G. 11.
    009 THOMAS JL 117104 140TH SIEGE BTY 30/10/1918 Denain Communal Cemetery Valenciennes A. 23.
  • The above casualty list suggests that the 140th Siege was at the battle Arras in August, The battle of Cambrai in October and later in the month at the fight for Valenciennes.

    British-12-inch howitzer with shells so-big- they need a crane. Near Arras 11 September 1917

1919

  • 5 March. Transferred to 493 Siege Battery. a few days later posted to 68 Siege Battery
  • 29 August. Posted to 135 Heavy Battery
MEDALS
Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal
SOURCES
    1. Ancestry  and BFA database
AFTER THE WAR
1939 CENSUS

Joseph B Matthews 52 Gun polisher
Isabella B Matthews 48
Dorothy B Matthews 21 Electrical assembler
Mary L Wharton 54

DEATH 1957

July 1967 Birmingham

GALLERY

There are service records in the National archives for this person they can be viewed and download from their website https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/