Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Corporal

Unit:

No.1 Troop, B Squadron, 2nd Armoured Regiment (Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)), 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade, 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division, Canadian Army

Recommendation:
During the action at the Torrice Crossroads, Highway 6, on the 30th May 1944, after enemy tanks had been located by the Reconnaissance Troop of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Regiment (Lord Strathcona's Horse), 1st Troop, "B" Squadron under command of Lieutenant Black was ordered forward to engage. Almost immediately the Troop Sergeant's tank threw a track leaving the remaining two tanks under Lieutenant Black and Corporal Matthews to continue on to their fire positions. During this time the troop was coming under well-directed and accurate fire from the enemy tanks as well as heavy enemy shell and machine gun fire. Lieutenant Black's tank was hit and burned, but undaunted and entirely alone, Corporal Matthews pressed on and continued the fight against heavy odds, By dint of outstanding initiative and determination and still being exposed to the same heavy enemy fire, he manoeuvred from position to position and succeeded in destroying a Mark V Panther tank, a 75-mm self-propelled gun and a Pz.Kw.IV tank. Only after firing all his ammunition did this Non-Commissioned Officer break off the engagement in order to refill from a disabled tank nearby.
During this refilling Corporal Matthews assisted in evacuating casualties while under heavy enemy machine gun fire, and having refilled, went forward to cover the right of the crossroads. En route the clutch gave out and the tank bogged in the heavy going, whereupon he dismounted the crew and dug in on the threatened flank, standing to all night against the expected counter-attack.
By his courageous leadership and dogged determination Corporal Matthews was responsible for turning the tide at a moment when the situation was critical, as it was impossible to manoeuvre more tanks into position at that time owing to the nature of the ground and the advantageous and commanding positions held by the enemy.


Supplement to the London Gazette, 26 October, 1944.