Military Chat

My 3x gt grandfather John Matchett died as an In Pensioner at Chelsea Hospital on the 23rd April 1859. I have searched the National Archives and have found no service records for him and have been told his records would be at Kew.

If any kind person is going there would you be able to look up his record for me.

Thanks
Gai :-)

You'd do better to say in your title that you're asking for a Kew lookup

Thanks Reggie for the suggestion.

I thought there was a dedicated site on-line for the Chelsea Pensioner records?
Sure I looked at it some time ago....

image on find my past

John Matchett, "United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records, 1760-1913"
Name: John Matchett
Event Type: Pension
Event Year Range: 1760-1913
Event Place: United Kingdom
Birthplace: Down
Birth Year (Estimated): 1821


????

1841 Census devonshire
1 Records found

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Census Place
MATCHET John M 20 Private Soldier Ireland Heavitree

I believe the Chelsea pensioner records were scanned at the National Archives at Kew a couple of years ago for publication on either FMP or Ancestry.
This was done by members of the Church of Later Day Saints.

Does this fit at all?

First name(s): John
Last name: MATCHETT
Calculated year of birth: 1821
Parish of birth: Seapatrick
Town of birth: Banbridge
County of birth: Down
Age at attestation: 20 years
Attestation date: 20 April 1841
Attestation corps:
Attestation soldier number:
Discharge rank: Private
Discharge corps: 71st Regt Of Hd Lt Infantry
Discharge soldier number: 1868
The National Archives reference: WO97

It looks like he was discharged at Chatham in 1848 and was a blacksmith by trade.

EDIT: Looks like the same record found previously by safc. There are 8 images associated with the record.

He was attested on 20th April 1841 Newry, Antrim, so could well have been the chap safc spotted in Devonshire in 1841 census (night of 6th June)

Hi Everyone,

thanks for your replies.

Unfortunately this isn't my John Matchett, though I wish it was as it would be another brick wall broken down.

:-(

Oh well one day the mysterious Matchett's will reveal themselves.

Thanks again

Gai :-)

This one's probably wrong as well, but just in case...

He's transcribed Mathcett, but is Matchett on the actual image.

He served from 1805 to 1818 when he was discharged and pensioned off. He was a shoe maker by trade.

He was committed as an in-pensioner in July 1855.

2 images:


First name(s): John
Last name: MATHCETT
Calculated year of birth: 1785
Parish of birth: Dromore
Town of birth:
County of birth: Down
Age at attestation: 20 years
Attestation date: 14 October 1805
Attestation corps:
Attestation soldier number:
Discharge rank:
Discharge corps: Royal Horse & Field Artillery
Discharge soldier number:
The National Archives reference: WO97

Kucinta,

That's him, you are brilliant.

Finally a possible place of birth. Fantastic I'm over the moon.

Thank you

:-D

Great! :-D

Have pmed you with images.

The record said he was at Waterloo.

I couldn't find him at first on the Waterloo Medal Roll, but am convinced that this is him, mistranscribed (again!).

Waterloo Medal Roll 1815

Name: John Matchell

Rank: Driver

Regiment: ROYAL HORSE AND FOOT ARTILLERY

Sub unit: Lt.Colonel R. Bull's Troop

Fate:

The Waterloo Medal Roll indicates John was under the command of Captain /Brevet Major Robert Bull, so he was with I troop at Waterloo.

Horse Artillery Attached to the Cavalry: Major [Brevet Lt Colonel] Alexander Macdonald, Royal Horse Artillery.

E Troop, Royal Horse Artillery; (Captain [Brevet Lt Colonel] Sir Robert Gardiner)
F Troop, Royal Horse Artillery; (Captain [Brevet Lt Colonel] James Webber Smith)
G Troop, Royal Horse Artillery; (2nd Captain Alexander Cavalie Mercer)
H Troop, Royal Horse Artillery; (Captain [Brevet Major] William Norman Ramsay)
I Troop, Royal Horse Artillery; (Captain [Brevet Major] Robert Bull)|<<<<<<
2nd Rocket Troop, Royal Horse Artillery; (Captain Edward Whinyates)

This is the record of I Troop's placements up to the time of Waterloo. (Though obviously John may well have been with other troops before finding himself in I troop by the time of Waterloo).

Stations, Combats & Troop Commanders – I Troop

1804:Formed in June; Home (OC Capt. William Millar; then Capt. Robert Bull)

1805:Home

1806:Home

1807:Home

1808:Home

1809:August – to Peninsula

1810:Mascale de Chao; Granga; Cerejos; Bassacona; Celerico; Moita; Mortiago; Bussaco; Mondego; Leyria; Rio Mandarillo; Alcantre; Guinta de Formes; Carrigada

1811:Pombal; Redinha; Cazal Nova; Foz d’Aronce; Miranda de Corvo; Maceira; Sampayo; Bassacova; Celerica; Pega; Sabugal; Almeida; Fuentes d’Onoro; Nave d’Avere; Fuentes de Guinaldo; Aldea Ponte

1812:Ciudad Rodrigo; Llerena; Badajoz; Villares de la Reina; St Christoval; Salamanca forts; Rueda; Villa Nova; Castrejou; Carnizal; Castellanas; Salamanca; Aldes Mayor; Tudela; Duennas; Torquemada; Villaverde; Burgos; San Munoz; Osma

1813:Vittoria; San Sebastian; Bidassoa, Nive; Bayonne; Adour

1814:Bayonne

1815:Quatre Bras; Waterloo; Paris; Army of Occupation.

The hardest working battery in the British Peninsula army; famous for their charge through French cavalry at Fuentes d’Onoro (led by Lieutenant William Norman Ramsay)

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain/Artillery/c_RHACompanies.html.

Also:

"I Battery (Bull's Troop) Royal Horse Artillery

Captain Robert Bull commanded the Battery between 1805 and 1821, hence its honour title awarded after the Battle of Waterloo. However it is Drivers Day that the Battery commemorates, when in Portugal, under Captain Ramsay, the Battery charged through the enemy ranks in order to rejoin friendly forces at the Battle of Fuentes D’Onoro. The 19th Century saw the Battery on operation in India and Afghanistan before returning to Aldershot. After constant action during the Great War, the Battery was deployed to Ireland to help quell the Sinn Fein rebellion. The battery started the World War Two as H/I Battery before becoming I Battery again and was part of 2nd RHA and being evacuated at Dunkirk. It subsequently served in Egypt, Greece and Italy. The Battery became part of 7 Para RHA in 1962 and is affiliated to 3 PARA."

Thanks Kucinta for the images they are great.