Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
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The copy restrictions of the true war story of my granddad have now been lifted and what a story to tell, the research was done by a Mr Poole of St -Margaret-s at Cliff, he research into all war Graves that are in the churchyard at the bay my Granddad was the last one to be done they have now been put in a magazine which will come out later in the year,but he has emailed me and said I can
go ahead now and write this great story on the Dover Forum ,which I am going to do,over the weekend. I hope you like it
Part 1
Able Seaman Henry R Matcham.
C/JX 213321,H,M,S Daedalus ,Royal Navy who died 08 September 1944,aged 54.
Son of George and Elizabeth Matcham.husband of Charlotte Winifred Matcham of St. Margaret,s at -Cliffe.
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Part Two.
Henry Matcham,s war grave is situated on the west side of the vicarage path almost opposite the Emden Vault.
The stone has a badge of the Royal Navy. furled anchor within a circle caved into it with his name and number C/J213321.
The next line has his ships name.
H.M.S. DAEDALUS.
The next line has his date of death 8th of September 1944 and his age 54.
ALatin cross is inscription next indicating his religious faith.
This grave has personal inscription which reads-Farewell Dear One/Until We Meet/ For ever in our Thoughts.
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Part 3
Henry Richard Matcham was born at Ringwould Kent.
on the 5th July 1890.He worked as a farm Labourer and gardener as a young man.
In 1908 he joined the Royal Navy as a boy seaman where he signed up for twelve years,he progressed through the ranks to Able Seaman serving in many well-known ships including HMS s Magnificent ,Dominion, Caesar, Formidable, Queen,and Dido. as well as several shore bases
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part four
On the 7th of May 1913 he was posted to HMS Hermes and shortly after this on the 17th May was selected for a course of instruction in flying at the Central flying School.On the 7th of September 1913 he transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service.
Still serving in HMS Hermes which was a "Highflyer class"cruiser converted to a experimental seaplane carrier.
This posting lasted until December 1913 .On the first of July 1914 he was promoted to the rank or Air Mechanic.
More to come.
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part five
DURING THIS PERIOD,Henry was flying a plane that had to make FORCED LANDING ON THE CLIFFS at St- Margaret, and subsequently caught fire.
He and the pilot walked in pouring rain to the Cliffe Hotel in the village,where they reported the incident and were well cared for .Henry returned a few days later to see the pretty waitress .Charlotte Goldsack who he had met working at the hotel and who he fell in love with.
They were married on December 26th 1914 at St Margaret,s parish church by special licence.
Henry and Charlotte made their home at no 4 ,Wellesley Terrace .Kingsdown rd ,St Margarets .
They had three children ,Richard (MY DAD.)Vera, and Ronald.
As WW1 PROGRESSED Henry was involved in land operations.
In a book called "FIGHTS AND FLIGHTS" by Air Commodore Charles Sampson ,Henry is mention as being part of a small party of eight men carrying out raids in the Third battle of Cassel on the 4th of September 1914.
more to come.
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Part six.
This part might be hard to follow.I know he was part of the new Royal Naval Armoured Car Division (RNACD) But I have lost the part about that roll,anyway I will carry on and see how it turns out.
The Royal Naval Air Service engaged in inter service rivalry on land as well in the air, possessing for a time the UK,s only mechanised land forces in form of the RNAS Armoured Car Section made up of squadrons of Rolls- Royce Armoured Cars.
Commanded by Commander Charles Samson ,the section was originally equipped with unarmoured touring cars and intended to provide line communications security and to pick up aircrews that had been forced to land in hostile territory.My granddad as a member of this Division ,
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part seven
Air Commander Samson saw the possibilities when he armed one vehicle with a Maxim gun and ambushed a German car near Cassel my granddad was in that ambush with the Air Commander on 4th September 1914,
The air Commander then went on to having shipbuilders in Dunkirk add boilerplate to his Rolls Royce and Mercedes vehicles.
The new armoured car squadrons were soon used to great effect forming part of Naval mechanised raiding columns against the Germans which again my Granddad was part of.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
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I find it rather sad that after going through the "Great War" he died early at the age of 54. in my experience so many of the chaps that survived the 1939/1945 conflict had very long later years. One who died about two years ago here in Dover was in the first Dunkirk landings then later in the Western Desert fighting the Afrika Corps, wonderful chap with a great sense of humour.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
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There is still alot more of this story to come yet ,yes it is sad to died so young it was the same as my dad died at the age of 52.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
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Vic Matcham wrote:There is still alot more of this story to come yet ,yes it is sad to died so young it was the same as my dad died at the age of 52.
next part tomorrow.
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By November 1914 the section had become the Royal Naval Armoured Car Division (R.N.A.C.D.)
EVENTUALLYexpanding to 20 squadrons.
As trench warfare developed , the armoured cars could no longer operate on the Western front and were redeployed to other theatres including the middle East, Romania, and Russia.In the summer of 1915the R.N.ACD, WAS disbanded and the army took over control of armoured cars,with units soon coming under the command of the Motor Branch of the Machine Gun Corps.
part eight.
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Part nine.
However RNAS experience of the Western front would not be lost,No20 Squadron RNAS was retained under naval control to further develop armoured vehicles for land battles.
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I think my granddad helped in the develop of the vehicles.
These personnel later becoming the nucleus of the team working under the Landships Committee that developed the first tanks .In fact my family are still in the kind of work with their own factorys.Tanks were abbreviated to HMLS,his Majesty,s Land Ship,s and originally painted warship grey.
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part ten.
The R.A.F later inherited some ex-RNAS armoured cars left in the Middle East and during the Second world war the Number 1 Armoured car Company RAF played an important role in the defence of RAF Habbaniya when the base was attacked by Iraqi nationalists.
Henry Matcham,s service records show that he was involved in land operations several times during WW1 .The records show also show that he rose through the ranks from air mechanic to leading air mechanic to Chief petty Officer.
In 1917 he was posted to RNAS Killingholm Lincolnshire which was the major seaplane base in the country during WW1.
In early 1918 he served at HMS Daedalus (Dover)for a short period and then on to France.
Still more to come of this story.
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part11
He was transferred to the Royal Air Force in March 1918.
The Royal Air Force came into existence on the 1st of April 1918 when the Royal Naval Air Service merged with the Royal Flying Corps. The personnel of both services then came under the control of the R.A.F. and Henry was one of these.
This amalgamation continued until 1924 when the fleet air arm of the RAF was formed .
It was not until 1939 that the Admiralty took back control of the fleet Air Arm.
His records do not show when he was actually discharged from service however some notes found in a service book dated 1923 suggest that he was in the RAF until at least this date.
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On being discharged,with a disability pension of 11shillings and sixpence,HENRY trained in saddlery and leather work which he practiced in the village.
However ,Charlotte and Henry decided to take on the Carriers Arms Public House which then was only a beer house in April 1931-July 1932,now called the Smugglers, in the village but the venture was unprofitable so Henry left,and again took up gardening.
part 12.
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part 13
He worked for Admiral Sutton at"Southolm" in Lighthouse Road and later for Lord and Lady Astor who were living at" The Hermitage"now called South Sands House.
This position also brought with it accommodation in the form of a Hermitage Cottage,a four bedroom house with a garage underneath for the chauffeurs,the building is now used as the St Margaret,s Museum.
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part 14
When WW 11 started ,Henry and Charlotte in company with many other residents of the bay were given 48 hours ,notice to leave the house.
Henry , being desperate to serve again,contacted his old commander and was privileged to be able to re-join the Royal Navy in July 1940,but ,because he was in receipt of a pension,he could not retain his old rank of CPO so had to re-join as an AB.(Able Seaman"
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part 15
Henry served at HMS,s Pembroke,Peregrine (RNAS FORD)and HMS Daedalus from where h was posted to 765 Naval Air Squadron.
Whist at HMS,s Peregrine RNAS Ford in Sussex,the station was bombed,Henry suffered shrapnel wound to his buttock and a broken alarm clock.
In September 1940 Henry was awarded a Hurt Certificate, probably due to his shrapnel wound.
A Hurt certificate was issued for wounds or minor injuries, it would enable the recipient to claim a better pension on discharge.
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part 16
The Admiralty often tried to buy back a Hurt Certificate to save paying out this extra pension cost and Henry certificate appears to be one of these as his records also show that he was paid a War Gratuity .(Usually about £20.00)
765 Squadron RNAS was the Basic Seaplane Flying and training pool squadron,it moved to RNAS Sandbanks in Pool Harbour ,Dorset in 1941 (I was also Christen there,how I ended up there I do not know I was to young and no one has told me in about it but it was in 1942-1943.)
Still under control of HMS Daedalus.