Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War O.B.E. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant-Commander F. A. Matson, Royal Naval Reserve and Mercantile Marine, who served on minesweepers during the Second World War, and once had a miraculous escape, having been blown unconscious from the bridge of his mine-sweeper after hitting a mine in the Humber

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt, the reverse of the crown contemporarily engraved ‘Lt. Cdr. F. A. Matson R.N.R.’; British War Medal 1914-20 (S. Lt. F. A. Matson. R.N.R.); Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-18 (Frederick A. Matson); Victory Medal 1914-19 (S. Lt. F. A. Matson. R.N.R.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named card box of issue addressed to ‘Lt. Cdr. F. A. Matson, O.B.E., R.N.R., Fairway, Hull Road, Hedon, Hull’, mounted as worn, good very fine (8) £300-£400

O.B.E. London Gazette 2 June 1943.

Frederick Arthur Matson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, on 5 November 1894 and served during the Great War in the Royal Indian Marine from 30 March 1916 to 8 March 1918, and then as a Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve from 15 May 1918 to 26 June 1919. He was awarded his Master’s Certificate on 4 October 1922, and was employed throughout the inter-War years with the Wilson Line and latterly with the D.P. & L. Shipping Company, Hull.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War Matson was commissioned temporary Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve on 15 January 1941, and was subsequently advanced Acting Lieutenant-Commander. ‘During the heavy blitz at Hull in 1941, when the enemy was laying mines in the Humber, Lieutenant-Commander Matson was in command of a mine-sweeper. His valuable work made it possible to keep the Hull roads, dock entrances, and the New Holland ferry-boat crossing clear of mines. Once he had a miraculous escape from death when his ship was mined during these operations. Blown from the upper bridge, he dropped on the lower fore-deck, injuring both legs, and fracturing several ribs. He sank with his ship, and was laid unconscious on the deck, but fortunately the cold water revived him, and, being an expert swimmer, he managed to get the the surface and was rescued by his old commander of the Humber Conservancy Board’ (newspaper cutting with lot refers).

For his services during the Second World War Matson created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He died at Kingston-upon-Hull on 9 February 1961.

Sold with the recipient’s original British Mercantile Marine Identity and Service Certificate; two newspaper cuttings; and copied research.