Rear-Admiral Sir Matthew Sausse Slattery, (12 May 1902 – 16 March 1990) was a British naval officer, military aviator and businessman. He was the managing director and chairman of Short Brothers and Harland, chairman of British Overseas Airways Corporation and latterly served as chairman of Hawthorn Leslie and Company. He was also a board member of Bristol Aeroplane Company and The National Bank. Early life Slattery was born in Bromley, London on 12 May 1902. His father was Henry Francis Slattery and his mother was Agnes Slattery (née Cuddon). His father served as the chairman of The National Bank from 1888 to his death in 1911, and had other business interests, serving as the chairman of the Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway, and as a director of several other railways and a number of insurance companies. Slattery was privately educated at Stonyhurst College before joining the Royal Navy on 15 January 1916, aged 13. He would continue his education at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, then the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Military career Slattery was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on 30 September 1923, then promoted to lieutenant on 19 June 1924. His early assignments included service aboard the monitor ship , and service with the Fleet Air Arm (at the time, part of the Royal Air Force). Slattery was one of a small number of naval officers who took the first Fleet Air Arm training course in 1924, qualifying as a pilot at Netheravon Airfield. He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 30 September 1931, after eight years service. His service as a lieutenant commander included service as the flight commander for 450 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight on the aircraft carrier , and attachment to the Admiralty. Slattery was an early proponent of deck landings aboard ships thanks to his involvement with the Fleet Air Arm, and would remain heavily involved with carrier borne aircraft for the remainder of his naval career. He was attached to the Royal Air Force during this time, and held the rank of flight lieutenant until November 1932. He was re-attached to the Royal Air Force in 1934, and held the rank of squadron leader. He was promoted to commander at the end of 1934 whilst still attached to the Royal Air Force, shortly after, he was given his first command - the destroyer . He would also command the heavy cruiser before moving to