Name
Edward Charles Martin
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/12/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19725
Hampshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ROCQUIGNY-EQUANCOURT ROAD BRITISH CEMETERY, MANANCOURT
VI. C. 27.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Standon War Memorial, St Mary’s Church Memorial, Standon, Puckeridge Memorial Plaque, Standon Village Hall, Standon
Biography
Edward Charles Martin was a Private, No. 19725 in the 2nd Battalion, the Hampshire Regiment. He was formerly No. 18101 in the Bedfordshire Regiment.
He was killed 2nd December, 1917 at the age of 27. He is buried at the Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, Somme, France, Grave ref: VI. C. 27.
Edward was born in 1890, the third child of George and Sarah Martin (nee Plumridge) of Bromley, Standon. In 1891 the family were living in Bromley, at that stage with just three young children. By 1901 they had moved to Latchford, George working as a Yardman, probably at Arches Hall.
Another ten years on, the family are back in Bromley, having had 10 children (not all still at home by 1911), and unusually for such a large family, they had all survived up to 1911 when the census required that families reported how many of their children had died, to provide statistics on infant mortality. From the baptism records, starting in 1886 with the first child, up to 1905 for the last child, it was possible to trace the family’s movements and occupations. Edward’s father George had been variously described as a Cowman, Milkman and Labourer. In 1911 they lived in a house next to Bromley Farm House, where father George probably worked and Edward earned his living as a groom and gardener. Edward’s brother Walter had married and this new family also lived at Bromley, near what was the Fox & Hounds pub. Walter, an agricultural labourer and his wife Florence (nee Wren) had a six month old baby and Florence’s father Joseph Wren also lived with them.
Both Edward and his brother Walter must have joined up quite early in the war as they were both in the field in 1915, which must have been a great concern to their parents and Walter’s wife.
The action in which Edward met his end was likely to be the Battle of Cambrai. The commanders had decided to use new tactics, instead of the heavy bombardment that usually preceded an attack no artillery was used but instead a massed tank attack which was launched at dawn on 20th November 1917. The attack completely surprised the Germans and the British Third Army gained over six km on the first day. Progress towards Cambrai continued over the next few days but on 30th November, 29 German divisions launched a counter offensive. By the time the fighting came to an end on 7th December German forces had regained almost all the ground it lost at the start of the Cambrai offensive.
The following article was found in the Herts & Essex Observer of 22nd December 1917. The article gives information about both Edward and Walter and also mentions another soldier killed, Alfred Smith:
"Death of Private Edward Charles Martin
Mr & Mrs G Martin of Bromley, Standon, received the sad news last week from the War Office that their second son, Private Edward Charles Martin, of the Hants Regiment, died of wounds received in action on the second inst. The deceased who was a good shot, enlisted at the beginning of the war and went to Salonica in September, 1915. Here he was wounded and invalided home, arriving in this country on Boxing Day of the same year. Until April 1916, he was in the London County Hospital at Epsom, where he underwent three operations. At the end of November last year he went to France and in his last letter home dated November 26th of this year, he stated that he was looking forward to have leave before Christmas. Less than a week afterwards he fell mortally wounded, and died as stated at a casualty clearing station. He was an efficient soldier and 28 years of age. On Sunday at the close of the morning service the Dead March in ‘Saul’ was played while the congregation remained standing, as a tribute of respect to the memory of two gallant Standon soldiers, the deceased and Private Alfred Smith of Latchford, who was previously announced as missing and is now reported dead. This brings the roll of honour of Standon’s heroic dead up to 20. Private W.G. Martin, the elder brother of the late Private E.C. Martin is in the York and Lancaster Regiment. He has been invalided home and was for some time an inmate of Brighton Hospital owing to illness caused by being badly gassed in September last."
Once again, it seems incredible that soldiers who had already been badly wounded and ‘done their bit’, should have been expected to return to the front to fight once more.
Acknowledgments
Di Vanderson, Jonty Wild
