Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The unique Rhodesian Defence Forces’ Medal for Meritorious Service, Military Forces’ Commendation and Long Service group of five awarded to Flight Lieutenant J. R. C. Matthews, Rhodesian Air Force, late Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Rhodesia, Defence Forces’ Medal for Meritorious Service (Flt. Lt. J. R. C. Matthews); General Service Medal (Flt. Lt. 7370 J. R. C. Matthews), with M.F.C. (non-operational) bronze pick emblem on riband; Territorial Long Service Medal (Flt. Lt. J. R. C. Matthews); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine and better (5) £500-600

D.M.M. awarded 11 November 1978:
‘Flight Lieutenant John R. C. Matthews attested into the Volunteer Reserve in 1961 as an air movements officer, taking up a flying appointment as a Volunteer Reserve pilot with No. 3 Squadron the following year. After ten years of service in this capacity, he re-attested as a regular officer, and was subsequently posted to Air headquarters for operations room duties. Flight Lieutenant Matthews's background knowledge of transport operations, coupled with his dedication and enthusiasm, have resulted in an outstanding performance in the vital task of monitoring the air force's air operation.’

M.F.C. (Non-Operational) awarded 23 October 1970:
‘Flight Lieutenant John R. C. Matthews (Volunteer Reserve) has served as a pilot on No. 3 (Transport) Squadron. He has responded to a great number of calls on his service as a Volunteer Reserve pilot, often to the detriment of his farming.’

John Richard Cawthorne Matthews was born on 22 December 1924 and was educated at Winchester College. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as an Aircraftman 2nd Class in 1942, and was commissioned Pilot Officer on 22 August 1944, being promoted to Flying Officer on 29 December 1944 and Flight Lieutenant on 20 April 1948. He final post before retiring was as a Flight Lieutenant Instructor in Southern Rhodesia.

After retiring he took up farming, and attested into the Volunteer Reserve in 1961 as an air movements officer, taking up a flying appointment as a Volunteer Reserve pilot with No. 3 Squadron the following year. He subsequently served as Pilot Captain for the Rhodesia V.I.P. Dakota Flight, and was the pilot of the aircraft which was used to take Ian Smith to a conference on the Victoria Falls Bridge in August 1975 between Vorster, Kaunda and Smith. He was also involved, from 1975 onwards, as a pilot in parachute school training and working with the Special Air Service on dropping techniques and new parachute types for drops of men and fuel, especially on trans-border operations. His farm was forcibly taken from him in 2002, and he died in Cape Town on 16 September 2013.

Approximately 71 Rhodesia Defence Forces’ Medals for Meritorious Service awarded to the Air Force.

Matthews is one of only three men from the Air Force to have been awarded the Defence Forces’ Medal for Meritorious Service and a non-operational Military Forces’ Commendation; the addition of his Territorial Long Service Medal makes this a unique combination of awards.