BORN HULL 1881. EMPLOYED AT NEWSOM TIMBER MERCHANTS, VICTORIA DOCK, HULL. HUSBAND WIFE ELIZABETH, OF 192 DE LA POLE AVENUE, HULL. SON OF JOHN & MARY MATTHEWS, OF 12 REDCAR STREET, ST MARKS STREET, HULL. HIS SISTER MRS BOTTERILL, LIVED AT 4 MAYE GROVE, SCULCOATES LANE, HULL. HE ENLISTED IN THE HULL PALS. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 30/07/1916, AGED 36. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HDM 30/07/1917. UNMARRIED. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS FATHER JOHN.
Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE JAMES WILLIAM MATTHEWS 11/992. Born 2nd June 1881, James was one of six children to John and Mary Matthews of 12 Redcar Street, St.Mark’s Street, Hull. James had joined the Royal Navy and served as a Ship’s Stoker aboard HMS Nelson, but had left and was back in Hull working as a Timber Labourer when war broke out. He enlisted at City Hall on 10th September 1914 joining the fledgling 11th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, ‘The Tradesmen’, 2nd Hull Pals. After serving in Egypt he arrived on the Western Front in March 1916 and was wounded in the Somme campaign. His wounds were extensive- face, leg and abdomen- and he was evacuated from the front line and taken by hospital train to the base camp at Bethune where surgeons at 33rd Casualty Clearing Station fought in vain to save him. James Matthews died of wounds on 30th July 1916 and is buried at Bethune Town Cemetery; he was 36 years old.
James William Matthews was one of three brothers who all joined the army. George was a sergeant in the reserves and was called up at the outbreak of War landing in France on 20th September 1914, he was wounded and came home in July 1915. The third brother William joined up under age and was wounded and in hospital when James was killed. William survived the war but with wounds. Attached is a photo of James who is on the right of this photo.
