Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Petty Officer T. Matthews, Royal Navy, who served in operations following the Messina Earthquake and survived the sinking of H.M.S. Cressy in 1914

1914-15 Star (170321 P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (170321 P.O., R.N.); Italy, Messina Earthquake Medal 1908, silver, unnamed; Corps of Commissionaire’s Medal, silver and enamel, reverse inscribed, ‘T. Matthews’, edge bruising, contact marks, fine and better (5) £200-250

Tom Matthews was born in Sutton, Surrey on 5 December 1876. He entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 22 October 1892 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class in October 1893. Promoted to Ordinary Seaman in December 1894, Able Seaman in January 1896, Leading Seaman in March 1899, Petty Officer 2nd Class in September 1899 and Petty Officer 1st Class in May 1901. For some offence Matthews was reduced to Able Seaman in September 1904 and was sentenced to 14 days in the cells. He was restored to Leading Seaman in April 1906 and when serving as such on H.M.S. Minerva, September 1908-October 1910 was involved in the rescue operations following the Messina Earthquake in December 1908. Matthews regained the rank of Petty Officer in March 1911. During the early months of the Great War he was serving on the old armoured cruiser H.M.S. Cressy. He was one of the lucky ones to survive the sinking of the ship and her two sisters in the North Sea on 22 September 1914. He continued to serve at/on Pembroke, Vulcan, Centaur and Curacoa until demobilised. With copied service papers. Angels in Blue Jackets records that Matthews was awarded with a duplicate Messina Earthquake Medal.