Letter to Phillip Mathew's Parents from the Red Cross
Title
Letter to Phillip Mathew's Parents from the Red Cross
Description
The letter advises that they have no news of their son but five crewmen had died and one captured.
Date
1945-04-05
Temporal Coverage
Language
Format
Two typewritten sheets and one envelope
Conforms To
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
EAmpthillMMatthewsB-A450405-0001, EAmpthillMMatthewsB-A450405-0002, EAmpthillMMatthewsB-A450405-0003
Transcription
[postmark 5 APR 1945] [postage stamp]
Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,
87, Woodland Road,
Northfield.
Birmingham. 31.
[page break]
WAR ORGANISATION
OF THE
BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY AND ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM
[British Red Cross crest] [Order of St. John of Jerusalem crest]
[underlined] WOUNDED, MISSING AND RELATIVES DEPARTMENT [/underlined]
Telephone No. SLOANE 9696
7 BELGRAVE SQUARE,
LONDON, S.W.1
In replying please quote reference: S/LR.RAF/C.15425
5th. April. 1945.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,
We very much regret to have to tell you that no information has come through attached to the name of your son, Flight Sergeant P.M. Matthews, No. 1204048 although full enquiries are being made on your behalf. We feel it is only right, however, that you should be informed of the grievous report which has reached us through the International Red Cross Committee at Geneva concerning the crew of which your son was a member, for although the information which this contains can but add most deeply to your already great anxiety, we believe that you would not wish it to be withheld.
A telegram from the organisation at Geneva reports that according to the official German authorities five airmen lost their lives on September 23rd. 1944. The name of Flying Officer W. S. Burns was correctly given, and the Air Ministry has, therefore, posted this airman as ‘Missing, believed Killed in Action’. At the time when this report was sent, the names of the other four airmen whose lives are stated to have been lost had not then been ascertained by the enemy. Since the crew consisted of eight men, you will understand that until further information is forthcoming the remaining six members, including your son, must still be classified as ‘Missing’. We think you may already know that one member, Sergeant W. F. Ravenhill was captured.
We realise what this report will mean to you. and we wish you to know that every effort is being made in order to clarify this distressing situation.
cont'd…..
[page break]
-2-
Please understand that whenever further information comes to light you will be notified immediately, and we ask you to accept, meanwhile, our sympathy in your suspense.
Yours sincerely,
[signature]
Chairman.
Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,
87, Woodland Road,
Northfield.
Birmingham. 31.
Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,
87, Woodland Road,
Northfield.
Birmingham. 31.
[page break]
WAR ORGANISATION
OF THE
BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY AND ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM
[British Red Cross crest] [Order of St. John of Jerusalem crest]
[underlined] WOUNDED, MISSING AND RELATIVES DEPARTMENT [/underlined]
Telephone No. SLOANE 9696
7 BELGRAVE SQUARE,
LONDON, S.W.1
In replying please quote reference: S/LR.RAF/C.15425
5th. April. 1945.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,
We very much regret to have to tell you that no information has come through attached to the name of your son, Flight Sergeant P.M. Matthews, No. 1204048 although full enquiries are being made on your behalf. We feel it is only right, however, that you should be informed of the grievous report which has reached us through the International Red Cross Committee at Geneva concerning the crew of which your son was a member, for although the information which this contains can but add most deeply to your already great anxiety, we believe that you would not wish it to be withheld.
A telegram from the organisation at Geneva reports that according to the official German authorities five airmen lost their lives on September 23rd. 1944. The name of Flying Officer W. S. Burns was correctly given, and the Air Ministry has, therefore, posted this airman as ‘Missing, believed Killed in Action’. At the time when this report was sent, the names of the other four airmen whose lives are stated to have been lost had not then been ascertained by the enemy. Since the crew consisted of eight men, you will understand that until further information is forthcoming the remaining six members, including your son, must still be classified as ‘Missing’. We think you may already know that one member, Sergeant W. F. Ravenhill was captured.
We realise what this report will mean to you. and we wish you to know that every effort is being made in order to clarify this distressing situation.
cont'd…..
[page break]
-2-
Please understand that whenever further information comes to light you will be notified immediately, and we ask you to accept, meanwhile, our sympathy in your suspense.
Yours sincerely,
[signature]
Chairman.
Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,
87, Woodland Road,
Northfield.
Birmingham. 31.
Collection
Citation
British Red Cross Society and Order of St John of Jerusalem, “Letter to Phillip Mathew's Parents from the Red Cross,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed June 15, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/38955.