Francis Matthews (British Army officer)
| Francis Matthews | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 January 1903 |
| Died |
26 May 1976 (aged 73) Warminster, Wiltshire, England |
| Allegiance |
 |
| Service/ |
 |
| Years of service | 1923−1955 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Service number | 24375 |
| Unit |
York and Lancaster Regiment South Wales Borderers |
| Commands held |
1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers 168th Infantry Brigade 13th Infantry Brigade 185th Infantry Brigade 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division Royal Military Academy Sandhurst British Forces in Hong Kong 1st Division |
| Battles/wars |
Arab revolt in Palestine World War II |
| Awards |
Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in despatches (2) |
Major General Francis Raymond Gage Matthews CB DSO (26 January 1903 – 26 May 1976) was a British Army officer who served in World War II and later was Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong.
Military career
Matthews was commissioned into the York and Lancaster Regiment in 1923.[1] He transferred to South Wales Borderers in 1935 while Aide-de-camp to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Malta.[1]
He served in World War II as a General Staff Officer and then as Commanding Officer of a battalion within the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.[1] 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.[2] He was made General Officer Commanding a Division within British Army of the Rhine in 1945.[1]
After the War he was appointed Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and then Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong.[1] He was made President of the Regular Commissions Board at the War Office in 1949 and General Officer Commanding 1st Division in 1950.[1] 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.[1]
He was also Colonel of the South Wales Borderers from 1954 to 1961.[1]
References
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Ross |
GOC 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division 1945−1946 |
Succeeded by George Richards |
| Preceded by Academy in alternative use during the war |
Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 1947−1948 |
Succeeded by Hugh Stockwell |
| Preceded by Sir George Erskine |
Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong 1948−1949 |
Succeeded by Sir Francis Festing |
| Preceded by Horatius Murray |
GOC 1st Division 1950−1952 |
Succeeded by Thomas Brodie |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by Sir Reade Godwin-Austen |
Colonel of the South Wales Borderers 1954−1961 |
Succeeded by Sir David Yates |