Military Provost Staff Corps

unknown year no badge
Soldier Details:
Surname: Matthews
Initials:   M.
Rank:   Major
Army No.:  256093
Notes:   Provost Officer. Provost Marshal, Army. CBE Brigadier. Michael Matthews. London Gazette 42189, 7626, 11/11/1960. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. Maj. M Matthews (256093) from QDG., to be Maj. 12/11/1960, with seniority 26/1/1958. London Gazette 44493, 75, 2/1/1968. Regular Army. Corps of Royal Military Police. The undermentioned Maj to be Lt/Col 31/12/1967, in seniority shown with an ante-date of seniority for 30/6/ 1967, M Matthews, OBE (256093). London Gazette 46046, 9389, 7/8/1972. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. The undermentioned Lt/Col. to be Col., 30/6/1973: M Matthew, MBE. (256093). (name spelt Matthew in this gazette.) London Gazette 46073, 10814, 11/9/1973. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. Lt/Col. (now Col.) M Matthews, MBE. (256093) the surname is as now shown and not as in Gazette (Supplement) dated 7/8/1973, page 9389). London Gazette 47264, 8744, 5/7/1977. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. The undermentioned Col. to be Brig., 30/6/1977: M Matthews (256093) No. shown as (256053) in this Gazette. London Gazette 48194, 7629, 27/5/1980. Army Department. Commands and Staff. Regular Army. Brig. M Matthews CBE (256093) RMP retires on retired pay 7/5/1980.

Decorations/Medals/Awards (2)
  1. Decoration:   Member of the British Empire Gazette Date: 1964-01-01 Gazette Issue: 43200 Gazette Page: 7
Citation:   New Year Honour. Major Michael Matthews (356093) DAPM. Hong Kong RMP. April 1961 - July 1963. Citation: Since April 1961 Major MATTHEWS has been employed as DAPM, HONG KONG. His work here has been outstanding and he has established very close links, based on mutual confidence and personal friendships with the Civil Police, the RN and RAF and the United states Service representatives in HONG KONG. Entirely as a result of his initiative and efforts he has organised a Combined Service Bureau with which the United States Forces are linked. This Bureau, working in close co-operation with the Civil Police and Government Social Services, has been a most important factor in the maintenance ofd improvement of discipline, well-being and health of all servicemen stationed in or visiting the Colony. This international co-operation has been of inestimatable value and has only been achieved by the almost complete surrender of "off duty hours". In addition to his normal duties he runs a Combined Services Squash Club, and he is the military representative of the HONG KONG Automobile Association committee and the Colony Road Safety committee. These activities involve many hours of work outside normal working time. His cheerful, clear thinking and common sense approach to problems, his ability to establish close and friendly working relationships with others and his willingness to work exceptionally long hours has produced invaluable results, and all servicemen in the Colony have benefited greatly thereby. Throughout his tour in HONG KONG he has set an outstanding example to devotion to duty. Recommended by: Chief of Staff, Land Forces Hong Kong. GOC Land Forces Hong Kong. GOC. HQ Far East Land Forces.
  2. Decoration:   Commander of the British Empire Gazette Date: 1979-12-31 Gazette Issue: 48041 Gazette Page: 4
Citation:   Brigadier Michael Matthews, MBE. (256093), RMP. PM (Army). 28 Feb 1977 to date. Citation: Brigadier Matthews has been Provost Marshal for the past three years and these years have been busy enough by any standard. He has been responsible for the centenary celebrations and for the reception and parade for Her Majesty in her first year as the Colonel in Chief of the Royal Military Police. Both these affairs were magnificently carried out and brought great praise from both military and civilian audiences. He has personally enhanced civil relationships with the County fo Sussex where the Training Centre is, by introducing Marches to which not only people from all over the United Kingdom attend, but also from all over Europe. These have now become an annual event. He has made significant advances to the Traditions of the Corps by introducing many, many new achievements which officers and NCO's have found pleasure and reward in obtaining. he has enhanced the training by his imaginative ideas such as by the building of a horse statue, the first full sized horse and RMP NCO rider sculptured in the past twenty five years, and by a life sized RMP soldier; and by enlarging considerably the Old Comrades Association His relationship with the Civil Police is outstanding. His knowledge of his officers and NCO's is profound and deep. His standards and those he expects of others can be summed up in one word - excellent. He has thrown himself into his task as Provost Marshal with zeal and energy and nothing, just nothing, stand in his way to ensure that the very best id done for the Corps which he commands. Undoubtably he has commanded magnificently during his tour and his dedication and devotion to the Corps of Royal Military Police has been quite outstanding and exceptional. Recommended by Maj/Gen. Directory of Personal Services, MOD (Army). Gen. Adjutant General MOD (Army).