Gunner John Matthew

Gunner John  Robert Matthew , 402nd Battery ,Royal Field Artillery. He was killed in action in Belgium, aged 23, on 22nd October 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres. He had been born in Coldstream and was the son of John and Alice Matthew of 6 Lukes Brae, Coldstream and is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery, Elverdinghe, Ypres, Belgium. He had enlisted in January 1916 and had been wounded in August 1916 during the Battle of the Somme returning to the Front in December. The field artillery normally used the 18 pounder field gun in an anti infantry role using high explosive and shrapnel shells one of which is shown below. His Headstone is inscribed ” His The Joy And Ours The Pain But Ere Long We’ll Meet Again”. The photograph shows a gun in action. The final photo depicts the atrocious state of the battlefield.

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