Francis Matthews (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Major General
Francis Raymond Gage Matthews CB
DSO
(1903–1976) was Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
.
in 1923. He transferred to South Wales Borderers in 1935 while Aide-de-camp
to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Malta
.
He served in World War II
as a General Staff Officer and then as Commanding Officer
of a battalion
within the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
. He was made Director of Military Training for the Middle East
in 1943 before becoming Commander of 168th Brigade
and then Commander of 13th Brigade in Italy
and then Commander of 185th Brigade
in North West Europe. He was made General Officer Commanding
a Division within British Army of the Rhine
in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and then Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
. He was made President of the Regular Commissions Board
at the War Office
in 1949 and General Officer Commanding
1st Division in 1950. He went on to be Director of Infantry at the War Office in 1952, Director of Civil Defence for Wales in 1956, Commandant
of the Civil Defence Staff College in 1956 and Director of Civil Defence for the South West Region in 1960.
He was also Colonel
of the South Wales Borderers from 1954 to 1961.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Francis Raymond Gage Matthews CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(1903–1976) was Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
Commander British Forces in Hong Kong
The Commander British Forces in Hong Kong was a senior British Army officer who acted as Military Advisor to the Governor of Hong Kong.-Structure:...
.
Military career
Matthews was commissioned into the York and Lancaster RegimentYork and Lancaster Regiment
-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
in 1923. He transferred to South Wales Borderers in 1935 while Aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a General Staff Officer and then as Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
within the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was part of the British Army during World War I, that commanded all Allied forces at Gallipoli and Salonika. This included the initial naval operation to force the straits of the Dardanelles. Its headquarters was formed in March 1915...
. He was made Director of Military Training for the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in 1943 before becoming Commander of 168th Brigade
2nd London Infantry Brigade
- 168th Brigade or British 2nd London Infantry Brigade :This formation was part of the Second World War 56th Division. The division remained in the United Kingdom during the Battle of France, moving to the Middle East in November 1942 where it served in Iraq and Palestine until moving to Egypt in...
and then Commander of 13th Brigade in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and then Commander of 185th Brigade
185th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
-History:The Brigade together with 8th Infantry Brigade and 9th Infantry Brigade formed the 3rd Infantry Division and participated in the ill-fated British Expeditionary Force, which evacuated from Dunkirk early in World War II....
in North West Europe. He was made General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
a Division within British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and then Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
Commander British Forces in Hong Kong
The Commander British Forces in Hong Kong was a senior British Army officer who acted as Military Advisor to the Governor of Hong Kong.-Structure:...
. He was made President of the Regular Commissions Board
Regular Commissions Board
The Army Officer Selection Board, more usually referred to as the A.O.S.B., is located at Leighton House, Westbury in Wiltshire, England, and runs selection courses which must be passed before being offered a place at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Selection boards are run for entry into the...
at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in 1949 and General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
1st Division in 1950. He went on to be Director of Infantry at the War Office in 1952, Director of Civil Defence for Wales in 1956, Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Civil Defence Staff College in 1956 and Director of Civil Defence for the South West Region in 1960.
He was also Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the South Wales Borderers from 1954 to 1961.