Died on the 14th of December 1912, and was buried in the Veterans' Ground of the General Cemetery in Nottingham.
See copy of a photograph and details of his life and funeral, taken from the 11th Hussar Regimental Journal for 1912, in the 11th Hussar file.
Pictures, and a report of his death and funeral, also appeared in the "Nottinghamshire Guardian" on the 19th of December 1912. (See copies in the 11th Hussar file.)
Despite a belief in some quarters that a headstone was erected to him, this was not so. Enquiry of the Cemetery Superintendent brought the reply that he was interred in a public grave, No. 03O92, on the 18th of December 1912. He further stated that:
In view of this last, a copy of his death and funeral reports were sent to the cemetery concerned for insertion in the place of the missing page, so that at least some record of just who he was is maintained.
"11th Hussars. Death of a Balaclava hero. — Trooper Matthew Holland, formerly of the regiment, and one of the last dozen survivors of the famous charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, died on Saturday at Nottingham, aged 80. He was visited during his illness by the Duke of Portland, who had taken care that the old veteran would want for nothing during his declining years. The deceased soldier was buried with military honours, a detachment from his old regiment attending from Warburg Barracks, Aldershot.
Born in London in 1833, Holland went in his early boyhood to live in Nottingham. At the age of 19 he enlisted into the 11th Hussars and fought in the Crimean and Indian Mutiny campaigns. He received the Crimean medal with clasps for the Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal. Modestly, Holland attributed his participation in the charge to his horse. He declared that no trumpet sounded before the advance. The Brigade, he said, rode down the valley, and the pace increased until they came to the charge. Holland whimsical added, "My old horse took me to the bottom, then took it into his head to come back, and naturally I came back with him..."
A few months ago, Holland attended the annual Balaclava Banquet in London, and as an Indian Mutiny veteran he was present, in December of 1907, at the celebration in London of the fiftieth anniversary of the suppression of the outbreak, and on that occasion appeared remarkably hale and erect.
Matthew Holland was a distinct personality. Whenever the Nottingham veterans paraded, his tall figure and commanding presence were always very conspicuous. But he was more noted for his keen sense of humour and his cheery disposition. He could tell a story with the best. Holland's nature was that of a man content in the knowledge that he had done his best for his country and happy because it had been his good fortune to be in the famous charge. Naturally he was lionised, but it was not of his own seeking.
Holland often related with pride the brief service he was able to perform on behalf of Miss Florence Nightingale. During the siege of Sebastopol, Holland, with others drawn from the 11th Hussars, 8th Hussars, the 17th Lancers and the 4th Light Dragoons, were all despatched from the front to Scutari to perform relief duty for the troops arriving from England. For six weeks they were stationed in the side wing of the barracks, in Scutari Square, and not far away from the huge hospital where Miss Nightingale laboured unceasingly. Holland and three companions volunteered to act as cooks in the open-air kitchen, and from a window Miss Nightingale watched them at work and play. Very often Holland went into the hospital to do little jobs for her.
Holland had been home for little more than a year when he joined the 8th Hussars and was forthwith dispatched to India, where the Mutiny had broken out. He landed at Bombay on the 19th of December 1857 and was present at Kotah, (March 1858) and Koochawa (February 1859). In addition to the medal, he received the clasp for "Central India." He was discharged at York on the 17th of August 1864, after serving 12 years and 8 days.
Returning to Nottingham, he started work as a painter, and was for some time engaged on the Welbeck estate. His interest in soldiering was kept alive for a little while by association with the Robin Hoods, and he made a fine figure as a pioneer. He continued his calling as a painter until, at the age of 70, he was compelled to give up through contraction of the hands, but he was able to make himself useful to the last, for he used to go into the local market to collect lace-work for his wife.
Labours for his Comrades — There is not a Crimean or Indian Mutiny veteran in Nottingham who has not a lot to thank Holland for. Not only was he a moving spirit in the formation of the Veteran's Association, he was always full of suggestions for the betterment of the old soldiers who were not so well provided for as himself.
It was Holland's idea that a uniform should be provided for the old veterans, and many other of his propositions have been carried into effect. Whenever he could, he pleaded the cause of the old soldier, and he accompanied Mr. Seely Whitby to Birmingham and Loughborough to assist in the formation of associations in these places.
Impression of King Edward — When King Edward inspected the veterans on the occasion of the Royal Show at Derby in 1905, his late Majesty had a chat with Holland. The incident was always remembered by Holland, whose impression of King Edward was, "The finest man who ever walked on two feet, a sort of chap you could talk to..."
On the occasion of the first of the cricket matches between the veterans and the ladies of Nottingham, Matthew had to perpetuate his little joke. When it came to his innings he walked out with a bat big enough to entirely cover the wickets, grimly remarking that he meant to stop in all day. A skittle ball and a tennis ball were employed against him successively, but at length he was out from a ball which broke in from the pitch. Matthew could never be convinced, however, that he was fairly out...."
