George Ernest Matthews
Memorial: Thornbury & District Museum: 6th Maritime Regiment Memorial
Regiment: 6th Maritime Regiment
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Lance Bombardier
Parents: Ernest and Matilda Mary Matthews
Home address: 30 Charlton Road, Wantage, Berkshire
Pre-war occupation: Gas Fitter
Date of birth: 19/08/1915
Place of birth: Berkshire
Date of death: 11/03/1943
Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea and commemorated Plymouth Naval Memorial Devon and the Maritime Memorial Thornbury
Age: 27
Further information:
On the day of his death, George was serving aboard the Norwegian Cargo ship Brant County which was sailing from Halifax Canada, as part of escorted convoy HX228, bound for Newport and Avonmouth. It was carrying a general cargo as well as 670 tons of explosives and a large amount of carbide. At 05.03 hours the ship was hit by a torpedo from U-boat U-86, which detonated in the cargo of carbide, immediately setting it on fire. The survivors abandoned ship in one lifeboat and when the lifeboat was 200 metres away, the fire reached the cargo of explosives and The Brant County disappeared into the North Atlantic in a huge explosion. Out of the 58 people on board 35 died including George and the 23 survivors were picked up by another ship in the convoy and landed in Liverpool. George was initially reported as missing and 8 months later this was changed to killed in action.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2766.html