Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A poignant Great War campaign group of three awarded to Air Mechanic 2nd Class H. F. Matthews, who was killed in action in September 1917 while serving as an Observer in No. 20 Squadron, when his aircraft was shot down in flames by German ace Leutnant Werner Voss - a fortnight later after raising his score to 48, Voss was himself shot down and killed

1914-15 Star (1712 2-A.M. H. F. Matthews, R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals (1712 Pte. H. F. Matthews, R.F.C.), extremely fine (3) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force.

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Herbert Frederick Matthews was killed in action on 6 September 1917, while serving as Observer to Lieutenant J. O. Pilkington in a F.E. 2d of No. 20 Squadron. On that fateful day, Captain F. D. “Inky” Stevens was leading four squadron aircraft on a patrol S.E. of Ypres when they were intercepted by five Albatros Scouts and a Fokker Triplane over Boesdinghe. The latter aircraft, piloted by Werner Voss, was seen to get on the tail of Matthews’ aircraft as it was busy engaging one of the Albatros Scouts, and the German ace’s fire quickly sent the F.E. 2d down in flames.

Matthews, who was born in Sutton, Surrey, in 1893, had enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 and first went out to France in the following year. By early 1917 he was serving in No. 2 Squadron, as illustrated by the following combat report submitted by his pilot Lieutenant J. B. E. Crosbee:

‘When on photography over H. 16 our machine was attacked by three Halbarstadters, apparently, who came through clouds close to our machine, probably having seen A.A. fire above the clouds. Two hostile aircraft dived at us and opened fire, the third following more slowly. After turning our machine so as to engage the hostile aircraft, our machine-gun fell off the rear mounting owing to the clip slipping off the pistol grip and the wind getting under the drum. Our camera also broke away from the mounting through either being hit by the falling gun or by a machine-gun bullet from the hostile machines. It is unknown which side of the lines the camera and gun fell. Being then unarmed, a steep spiral was done, followed by two hostile aircraft, to 5,000 feet and by one to 3,500 feet over C. 12. On several friendly aircraft crossing the line from the West, the hostile aircraft made off S.W. and climbed.’

Having then transferred to No. 20 Squadron, Matthews was killed in action, as stated, on 6 September 1917. He was 22 years of age and is buried with his pilot in Bailleul Communal Cemetery, France; sold with a file of research.