2nd Lieut. O. F. Matthews, R.F.C.

[melliget]

Hi.

I came across the following file in the National Archives of Australia:

Title: MATTHEWS O F (2nd Lieutenant) - attached Royal Flying Corps - report of death officially accepted

Contents date range: 25 Jan 1918 - 25 Jan 1918

Series number: MT1487/1

Control symbol: MATTHEWS O F

Item barcode 6044581

Digital copy: http://recordsearch....e.asp?B=6044581

There's not much to go on, I'm afraid. I may be wrong but my reading of the file is that it was accepted around 25 Jan 1918 that this officer had died, not that he had died on this date.

Without a first name, it's difficult to search for records but the only O Matthews I could find in AIR 76 (RAF officers' service records) is Owen Matthews (born 10 Dec 1898 - too young to be a Lieut in 1917/18?). There is an Owen Matthews listed in a London Gazette announcement for Flight Cadets being granted temporary commissions as 2nd Lts. Observer Officers, but it was October 1918 so couldn't be him.

From the NAA file, there is a Brisbane connection, with mention of a letter being sent to advise Mr Addison, Kodak Building, Brisbane.

One thought that occurred to me was that perhaps the man's given initials were a corruption of the info received in the cablegram, which is in the file, i.e. someone took the word "OF" to be "O.F." But there are not very many Lieut Matthews, R.F.C., on the CWGC site and none seem to have an Australian connection.

Without corroborating info, it might be a difficult one.

regards,

Martin