Henry Matear M.M.

Killed in Action on the 27/11/1917 during the Capture of Bourlon Wood (part of the Battle of Cambrai)

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 17/08/1915 and were part of the 2nd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. Henry was Killed in Action during the capture of Bourlon Wood, 23rd - 28th November 1917 : further troops were thrown into the Battle, including the Guards Division, which advanced into Fontaine. Once his troops had been driven from the wood, the enemy switched all of his artillery onto it. Battalions in the wood were wiped out. Three companies of the 14th HLI miraculously penetrated to the far side of Bourlon but were cut off and gradually annihilated. And it began to snow. The weary troops settled into the newly-won positions. The British now sat some way ahead of the position of 20th November, being in possession of a salient reaching towards Cambrai, with the left flank facing Bourlon and the right alongside the top of the slope which ran down towards Banteux. This was part of the Cambrai operations, 1917 (Battle of Cambrai), 20th November - 30th December 1917 : A British attack, originally conceived as a very large scale raid, that employed new artillery techniques and massed tanks. Initially very successful with large gains of ground being made, but German reserves brought the advance to a halt. Ten days later, a counter-attack regained much of the ground. Ultimately a disappointing and costly outcome, but Cambrai is now seen by historians as the blueprint for the successful "Hundred Days" offensives of 1918. According to Captain Alexander, Henry died "fighting most gallantly in an attack on a wood". Before the war Henry and his 4 brothers went to the USA via Canada and worked in the coal mines where Henry's brother William died. The 4 remaining brothers returned to Coatbridge with Henry enlisting at the outbreak of the war. A huge thank you to Henry's grandson also Henry (Harry) Matear from Adelaide, South Australia for the information he provided (please read comment below). Henry received his Military Medal for gallantry on the Battlefield. He spent 7 days in hospital with a tonsillitis and was discharged back to duty on the 01/09/1916. He played for Caldervale Cricket Club and was according to the Club Secretary "full of life and energy". Henry's Pension was awarded to Guardian Thomas Hastings of Lefroy House, Coatbridge on the 20/06/1918 with 3 of his children also listed (see photos). See Directory for Henry's brother Samuel's page which includes their brother Robert's 11 Service Records. See photos for Henry's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his listing in the Ireland Casualties WW1, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Cambrai Memorial Panel List, his name on the Cambrai Memorial x 2, Henry's Pension Records x 2 and the Irish Guards Cap Badge.