Pte
Matthias Ovington
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 21/05/1876 |
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Place of birth: Greenside, Durham, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: 100 Wordsworth Street, Gateshead, Durham, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Grocery Shop Manager |
Army information
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Country: Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 50853 |
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Enlistment place: Gateshead, Durham, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Manchester Regiment, 2/9th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 09/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Duck Lodge - West Hof, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 41 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: LX Row: H Grave: 18 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Matthias Ovington was the son of Jane and John William Ovington. He was born on 21 May 1876 in Greenside, Durham. Before the war he worked as a grocery shop manager. He enlisted in the British Army and belonged to the 2/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment (198th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division).
Matthias was killed on 9 October 1917 during the Battle of Poelcappelle, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The 2/9th Battalion Manchester had its starting positions near Hamburg and launched an attack towards Haalen and Vienna Cotts. At 5:24 a.m., the battalion followed its own barrage towards its first objective near Heine House. However, the Germans launched one barrage after another and soon counterattacked. This forced the battalion to retreat to Augustus Wood. Further counterattacks were repelled, and the line was held until relief arrived.
Matthias died at the age of 41. After the war, his body was found near Duck Lodge. He was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Matthias was killed on 9 October 1917 during the Battle of Poelcappelle, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The 2/9th Battalion Manchester had its starting positions near Hamburg and launched an attack towards Haalen and Vienna Cotts. At 5:24 a.m., the battalion followed its own barrage towards its first objective near Heine House. However, the Germans launched one barrage after another and soon counterattacked. This forced the battalion to retreat to Augustus Wood. Further counterattacks were repelled, and the line was held until relief arrived.
Matthias died at the age of 41. After the war, his body was found near Duck Lodge. He was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 3
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2/9 Battalion Manchester Regiment. (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 95/3141/7). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), p. 121-122. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/464181 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=96839c9a-e56d-42c0-ba1e-eaf055cd4790 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3350283 |