Born on 20 March 1872, son of John Fell JP, DL of Ulverston, Lancashire, he was educated at Sedburgh and St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he qualified in 1898. He then joined the RAMC and served throughout the South African War, being awarded the Queen's medal with four clasps and the Kind's medal with two clasps; he was also mentioned in dispatches. After a few years in the South African Constabulary, Fell returned to England and served at Aldershot and the War Office. With the outbreak of war in 1914 Fell went to France as staff officer to the Director of Medical Services in the BEF and later was ADMS to Sir Francis Treherne with the Third Army. For most of the war, however, Fell was in Mesopotamia, where he reorganised the transport of casualties from front to base. He was mentioned in dispatches eight times and was appointed CMG in 1917 and CB in 1919. In 1918 the RAF was created a separate service, and Fell was transferred to the new Air Ministry as Director of Medical Services with the rank of Air Commodore. As aviation medicine was a new specialty this was a challenging post, but within two years Fell had established the medical branch on firm lines and he was later justly proud of being the father of the RAF Medical Service. In 1921 Fell returned to the RAMC, was knighted as KCB in 1922, and for five years he held various administrative posts at home and in Egypt before being appointed Director General of Medical Services in 1926. He was Honorary Physician to King George V, 1926-29. Unfortunately the AMS at this period was severely reduced owing to economy measures, and Fell retired voluntarily in 1929 before the expiration of his term, in the rank of Lieutenant-General. He returned to his home at Ulverston where he played an active part in local affairs, serving as a Deputy Lieutenant of the County and a Justice of the Peace, and was a member of the Flyfishers Club. Fell was a born leader: he was a sound judge of character and as able an administrator as he was a doctor. A notable raconteur, he was a large burly figure with twinkling blue eyes. He married Marion Isobel, daughter of Robert Wallace, in 1908 and they had two sons and two daughters. Sir Matthew Fell died on 28 January 1959 at the age of 86.