Rowley Gwynne Morgan Matthews – Royal Engineers

 Major Rowley Gwynne Morgan Matthews – Royal Engineers

Rowley Gwynne Morgan Matthews was born in 1912 in Swansea, the elder son of Thomas Morgan Matthews and Nora Ellenor Brace, who had married in Swansea in 1910. His childhood unfolded within a professional, academically minded household shaped by his father’s engineering career and his mother’s steady domestic management.

Family Life in 1921 – Windsor Terrace, Swansea

1921 Census

The 1921 Census records the Matthews family living at 24 Windsor Terrace, Swansea. Thomas Morgan, aged 47 and born in Herefordshire, was an Engineer and Surveyor, working on his own account from Crown Chambers, Swansea. His wife, Nora Ellenor, aged 42, undertook household duties. Their two sons—Rowley Gwynne Morgan, aged 9, and Gerald Royston, aged 5—were both attending school part‑time. This stable, professional household provided the foundation for Rowley’s later achievements in both civilian and military life.

Rowley Gwynne Morgan Matthews
Oystermouth Cemetery, Mumbles
credit - findagrave

Service with the Royal Engineers

Rowley Gwynne Morgan Matthews went on to serve with distinction as a Major in the Royal Engineers, a role demanding technical expertise, leadership, and resilience. His engineering background made him well suited to the Corps, where officers were responsible for construction, fortifications, logistics, and the complex technical demands of wartime operations.

Death and Burial

Rowley died on 22 June 1944, during the final year of the Second World War. His passing marked the loss of a highly trained officer whose skills and service contributed to the wider military effort. He was laid to rest at Oystermouth Cemetery, joining the long roll of Swansea servicemen whose lives were claimed during the conflict.