Matthew Slattery
Sir Matthew Slattery | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 May 1902 Bromley, London, England |
| Died | 16 March 1990 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Naval officer, aviator, corporate leader |
| Years active | 1916–1974 |
| Known for | Managing director and chairman of Short Brothers and Harland; chairman of British Overseas Airways Corporation; chairman of Hawthorn Leslie and Company |
Rear-Admiral Sir Matthew Sausse Slattery, (12 May 1902 – 16 March 1990) was a distinguished British naval officer, aviator, and corporate leader. Throughout his career, he held key leadership roles including managing director and chairman of Short Brothers and Harland, chairman of British Overseas Airways Corporation, and later chairman of Hawthorn Leslie and Company. Additionally, he served on the boards of both the Bristol Aeroplane Company and The National Bank.
Early life
Born on 12 May 1902 in Bromley, London, Slattery was the son of Henry Francis Slattery and Agnes Slattery (née Cuddon). His father had been chairman of The National Bank from 1888 until his passing in 1911, and held prominent positions within the railway industry, including chairmanship of the Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway, alongside directorships in various railway firms and insurance enterprises.
Slattery received private education at Stonyhurst College before enlisting in the Royal Navy on 15 January 1916 at just 13 years old. His naval training continued at both the Royal Naval College, Osborne and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.
Military career
On 30 September 1923, Slattery was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant, advancing to lieutenant on 19 June 1924. His early naval service included time aboard the monitor , as well as with the Fleet Air Arm when it was still part of the Royal Air Force. In 1924, he became one of the pioneering naval officers to complete Fleet Air Arm pilot training at Netheravon Airfield.
Elevated to lieutenant commander on 30 September 1931, Slattery took on duties as flight commander for 450 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight aboard the aircraft carrier , and also served within Admiralty departments. He was an early proponent of aircraft carrier deck landings and maintained an active role with carrier-based aviation throughout his naval tenure.
While seconded to the Royal Air Force, he held the ranks of flight lieutenant until 1932 and squadron leader by 1934. Achieving promotion to commander at the close of 1934, he commanded the destroyer , followed by leadership of the heavy cruiser , before returning to Admiralty responsibilities. By 1938, still attached to the RAF, he had attained the rank of wing commander.
At the end of 1938, Slattery became a captain, notably the youngest officer to hold that rank in the Royal Navy at that time. He served as Director of Air Material and Director-General of Naval Aircraft Development and Production within the Ministry of Aircraft Production, playing a vital role in advancing aircraft such as the Fairey Swordfish and facilitating introduction of both the Hawker Sea Hurricane and Supermarine Seafire.
From late 1941 until June 1942, he commanded , after which he was appointed Chief Staff Officer to Commodore-in-Charge Naval Air Stations at Mackinnon Road, Kenya. Returning to Britain in February 1943, he resumed his position as Chief Naval Representative at the Ministry of Aircraft Production while continuing as Director-General of Naval Aircraft Development and Production. During this period, he was promoted to commodore.
His final promotion came between June 1944 and July 1945 when he attained the rank of rear-admiral. In his concluding Royal Navy appointment, he combined responsibilities as Vice-Controller (Air), Chief of Naval Air Equipment, and Director-General overseeing naval aircraft development and production.
Slattery concluded his naval career with retirement in 1948.
Business career
Following his military retirement, Slattery’s professional pursuits were deeply connected to his defense experience, with a concentration on the aerospace and shipbuilding sectors.
His most enduring appointment was as managing director of Short Brothers and Harland in Northern Ireland, commencing in 1948, and advancing to chairman in 1952. The firm’s main activity involved producing aircraft through contracts and licensing agreements with the Ministry of Supply and other manufacturers. During this period, naval aviator Captain Henry St John Fancourt acted as Deputy Chief Naval Representative under Slattery’s leadership.
Under Slattery’s guidance, Short Brothers engaged in the creation of innovative aircraft, notably the Short SC.1, which was the United Kingdom’s inaugural vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) plane. This project played a pivotal role in paving the way for the Hawker Siddeley Harrier.
In 1957, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan selected Slattery as a special adviser on Middle East oil transportation to prevent supply interruptions similar to those experienced during the Suez Crisis.
That year also saw Slattery join the board of Bristol and assume chairmanship of its aircraft manufacturing division, the Bristol Airplane Company. Bristol had previously acquired a 15.25% share in Short Brothers in 1954 and was involved in producing the Bristol Britannia turboprop airliner. Nevertheless, delays alongside competition from Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8, and Vickers VC10 curtailed the Britannia’s commercial success. In response, Short Brothers modified the Britannia into the Britannic series, culminating with the Britannic 3A (Shorts Belfast), which significantly departed from its original configuration.
Prior to his tenure at BOAC, Slattery also held a directorship at The National Bank, maintaining his family’s historic ties to the institution.
On 29 July 1960, Slattery was appointed chairman of state-owned BOAC, succeeding Gerard d’Erlanger who had served part-time. This appointment marked the conclusion of Slattery’s 12-year leadership at Shorts; Cyril Uwins assumed leadership at Bristol Aircraft. Around this time, he also became a member of the Airworthiness Requirements Board.
Maintaining Basil Smallpeice as managing director, Slattery concentrated on implementing cost reductions amid BOAC’s financial difficulties caused by falling passenger numbers, high maintenance expenses, and ongoing obligations for VC10 orders.
In April 1962, Smallpeice initiated negotiations with Cunard Eagle Airways to merge North Atlantic operations. The resulting BOAC-Cunard joint venture launched in June 1962 with Slattery serving as chairman concurrently with his BOAC responsibilities. This collaboration persisted until 1966.
Relations between BOAC and Aviation Minister Julian Amery deteriorated over debt write-offs linked to British aircraft procurement. An independent financial assessment led by John Corbett was commissioned. Disputes regarding funding and VC10 purchases culminated in Slattery’s official retirement in late 1963—widely interpreted as a forced exit. He later admitted that he had been effectively removed.
Giles Guthrie succeeded Slattery as BOAC chairman and acknowledged both Slattery and Smallpeice for restoring profitability by 1964.
After leaving BOAC, Slattery resumed his role at The National Bank and participated in governmental talks aimed at diversifying Short Brothers and Harland & Wolff amid industry challenges.
In 1964 Slattery joined Hawthorn Leslie and Company’s board and was appointed chairman in 1966 during a turbulent era for British shipbuilding driven by containerisation and evolving shipping demands. Following recommendations from the Geddes Report advocating shipyard rationalization, Hawthorn Leslie combined its shipbuilding operations with Swan Hunter, John Readhead & Sons, and Vickers-Armstrongs’ River Tyne yards to establish Swan Hunter Group in 1968.
Hawthorn Leslie retained a 16.36% interest in Swan Hunter until British shipbuilding was nationalized under British Shipbuilders in 1977. Slattery remained on Swan Hunter’s board until his retirement from Hawthorn Leslie in 1973.
His concluding significant position was with the Air Registration Board (ARB), which he joined in 1960 as an operators’ representative before becoming an independent member following his departure from BOAC. He retired from the ARB in May 1974.
Personal life
In 1925, Slattery wed Mica Mary Swain, the daughter of Colonel DG Swain. Together, they had three children, among them their son David Antony Slattery, who later served as chief medical officer at Rolls-Royce plc and subsequently became a lecturer at the University of Liverpool. Mica outlived her husband, passing away in 1998.
Slattery's professional achievements were recognized through numerous accolades. He was named a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1946 due to his contributions at the Ministry of Aircraft Supply. In 1955, he received a knighthood as a Knight Bachelor for his work at Shotts and Harland. His advisory role on Middle East oil transportation earned him the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1960. Additionally, the United States honored him with the Legion of Merit (Commander) in 1945. Queen's University Belfast conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1954. From 1946 onwards, he was also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, underscoring his significant standing within the aviation sector.
According to his entry in Who's Who, Slattery described his leisure interests simply as "country pursuits."