On Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium is the name of 235336 Private George Alexander Matthewson, serving with the 1st/4th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry who died 09/10/1917.
In St. Aidan’s Churchyard is a headstone which reads:
In loving memory
George Matthewson
beloved husband of
Caroline Matthewson
who died at East Burton
15th February 1937 aged 80 years.
Also the above
Caroline Matthewson
who died at East Burton
8th July 1953 aged 92 years.
Also George Alexander
son of the above
who was killed in action in
France, 9th Oct. 1917
aged 28 years.
Also
Andrew son of the above
Died 11th June 1937
Aged 43 years
George’s story has been researched by the Belford Museum.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Alexander Matthewson was one of 13 children of whom only 11 survived and are known by name.
His father George Matthewson was born in 1869 at Norham, Northumberland. He was the son of farm steward Andrew Matthewson and his wife Barbara. His father Andrew died on September 28th 1861.
George married Caroline Richardson in the district of Berwick, Northumberland in 1879. Caroline was also a native of Norham, born in 1861 she was the daughter of agricultural labourer Alexander Richardson and Elizabeth Tully.
They settled at Tweedmouth the birthplace of Elizabeth Tully Matthewson on July 2nd 1879 and in 1881 were living at Garden House, East Ord in a cottage. Barbara Douglas was born on April 9th 1882, a male child who was born and died in June 1884, a female child who was born and died in July 1885, Margaret born on September 9th 1886, George Alexander in 1889 and Caroline on November 4th 1890.
George by 1891 had transferred his family to a farm house at Etal Road in the hamlet of Murton. Still the only breadwinner he was also supporting his widowed mother Barbara Tully Matthewson (70), Elizabeth (11) and Barbara (8) were scholars.
By 1901 the family was living in the hamlet of Broomhouse on a farm. His wife had given birth to a further 3 children, Andrew in 1893, Alexander on April 2nd 1896 and Esther on August 21st 1899. George now had the help of Elizabeth (21) and Barbara (18) who were farm workers in maintaining his ever growing family.
The youngest of their children were born over the next 5 years. Mary Jane in 1902, Linda on November 21st 1904 and Thomas in December 1906.
George had moved his family to the hamlet of Buckton near Belford in Northumberland by 1911 where their home consisted of 4 rooms accommodating 12 persons as their daughter Elizabeth had left the family home in 1907 when she married William Johnson. With the exception of their daughter Caroline and the younger children of school age and one of pre-school age who remained at home with their mother, George and his sons and daughters were all agricultural labourers.
As early as 1911 there were already rumblings of a possibility of war with Germany which was declared on August 4th 1914 when Germany ignored an ultimatum that she withdraw her troops from neutral Belgium.
In answer to Kitchener’s call to arms all regiments were ordered to raise new battalions. Farming was one of the many reserve occupations that exempted men from national service. George Alexander Matthewson enlisted at Alnwick in Northumberland and was assigned to the 1/6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers of the Territorial Force. In the absence of a service record it is impossible to know the exact date but as with all Territorials he was renumbered in 1917 as Private 315274 and departed to join his regiment on the Western Front.
In 1917 the 1/6th Battalion N.F. as part of the 149th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division in the spring of 1917 was in action April 9th-May 16th during the Arras Offensive before leaving France and moving north to the battlefields of the Ypres salient in Belgium.
Private George Alexander Matthewson was transferred from the Northumberland Fusiliers with a new service number 235336 to the 1/4th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. The battalion was attached to the 148th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division and participated during the 3rd Battle of Ypres in the closing phase at the Battle of Poelcapelle on October 9th 1917.
Private 235336 George Alexander Matthewson was killed in action on October 9th 1917 but has no known grave. His sacrifice is recorded as one of almost 35,000 names inscribed on the Tyne Cot Memorial which forms part of the perimeter wall enclosing Tyne Cot Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, near Ypres in Belgium commemorating those who fell on the Ypres salient after August 16th 1917. He was 28 years old and single.
George Matthewson received all monies due to his late son from the Army, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal also a pension sent to him at East Burton Cottages, Bamburgh, Northumberland.
When George Matthewson (80) died on February 15th 1937 the Army pension passed to his widow Caroline. In 1939 she was still living at East Burton Cottages. Her daughter Barbara Douglas, a land worker was listed as head of the household, living with them was Caroline’s grandson David Matthewson an apprentice mechanic.
Caroline Matthewson nee Richardson (92) died on July 9th 1953. George and Caroline are buried together within St. Aidan Churchyard, Bamburgh with their son Andrew who died soon after his father on June 11th 1937.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Alexander Matthewson is remembered at Bamburgh on B3.01, B3.02 and B3.05 and at Belford on B16.01, B16.05 and B16.07
