Category Archives: Army

Stanley Martin

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Loos, Other Regiments, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

Stanley Martin M.M.
Sergeant 200620
1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment  and

2nd Lieutenant
2nd London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers

Sergt Martin, Stanley photo MARTIN S2 AS

Stanley Martin was the son of Charles Alfred and Maria Martin who lived at 22, Hatherley Road Reading. The home address in 1901 was the same as the caption on the photograph. Charles Martin’s occupation was a cooper, by 1911he was a foreman cooper at the Huntley and Palmers Biscuit Factory. Stanley was the youngest of four children, he had two older sisters and an older brother. In 1911 he was still in school.

He enlisted in 1914 in the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment aged 17½ and reached the rank of acting C.S.M. when he was recommended for a commission being promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Fusiliers.  He was still with the  1st/4th’s when he received the Military Medal for “conspicuous good work in an attack on April 5th 1917.

Details of the action were published in the Standard May 12 1917 in relation a Lance Corporal Herbert Degrucy of 29 Grosbrook Road, Caversham who, like Sergenant Stanley Martin  was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous good work.  ‘During the attack on the villages of Ronssoy, Basse and Lempire, after the village was entered the company had to push on to link up with another battalion 1,000 yards through the village, and during the flight that ensued this N.C.O. showed great ability, being a great help to the C.O.  he set a fine example and displayed great bravery and devotion to duty.  Sergeant Stanley Martin, was awarded the Military Medal in connection with the engagement detailed above.

He was killed in action on September 18 1918 aged 24 years and buried at Ephey Wood Farm Cemetery, the Somme.  The village of Epehy was captured at the beginning of April 1917.  It was lost at the beginning of the spring offensive on March 22nd 1918, after a gallant defense by members of the 21st Division.  British defenses were broken through on this day and the allies made a hasty retreat.  The Germans claimed the taking of 16,000 prisoners and 200 guns.

The village was retaken on 18 September 1918 in the Battle of Epehy, which started September 12 1918.  The cemetery takes its name from the Ferme du Bois and Plots I and II were made by the 12th Division after the capture of the village, and contains the graves of the men and officers who died during the battle 18th September 1918.

George Henry Martin

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments

George Henry Martin
Sapper 235379
Royal Engineers

Division 49 

Martin GH photo

George Henry Martin  lived at 45, Cranbury Road, Reading.  His death was notified in the Standard on 27th April 1918. He died on April 3rd 1918, aged 23 years.

He is commemorated on a family grave.  His parents were George and Sarah Martin. George’s father was a painter and decorator and George Henry probably worked for him. His occupation as stated in the 1911 census was painters lad. George Henry Martin’s attestation papers are available. He attested on 29 January 1916. Upon enlistment his occupation was given as Crane Driver and driller. He had served 2 years in the 1/4 Royal Berkshire Territorial unit and tried to sign for overseas service in September 1914 but was not considered suitable  due to flat feet and a weak right ankle. After attesting he was posted to the Army Reserve the next day and later to Royal Engineers. He served at home from from 21January 1917 until 2 February 1918 where he may have spent sometime working for Inland Waterways. On 2 February 1918 he was discharged as no longer fit for service although it is noted that he would have to attend a further medical examination. George Henry Martin suffered an accident whilst on duty on a barge when woden beams fell on him and severed his spinal cord resulting in paralysis of his lower limbs and requiring constant care.

The author is carrying out further enquiries to establish whether he would be entitled to registration under the CWGC and would be eligible for a war pattern headstone. Sapper Martin is actually buried in the grave currently no information can be found as to his war record through the CWGC Internet site.

Walter John (Jack) Malham

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, RFC / RAF, Somme

Walter John Malham
Rifleman R/11278 7th Battalion
Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Division 40

Malham J photo Malham JH dad of J photo

Walter John Malham   is commemorated on a small scroll stone which gives the first names of other family members (probably sister and mother) and the legend ‘Jack 19 Died in France 1916’.  The Berkshire Family History Monumental Inscriptions files enabled me to locate the scroll (40G26) and their work also identified the family name of Malham.  A CWGC search then enabled the identification of ‘Jack’.  He was the only son of John Henry and Lillian Malham, of 59, Brunswick Street, Reading.  His father also served in the army, first in the Army Service Corps and later as a 1st Air Mechanic with the RAF.

Walter John, who was obviously known as Jack to his family, died of wounds on 20th September 1916, aged 19.  He is buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L’Abbe, Somme.  The village is some 10 kilometres west of Albert. The 36th Clearing Station was at Heilly from 1st April 1916.  It is not known how or when Jack was wounded.  However, the 14th Division was in the area of Delville Wood 15th July to 3rd September 1916 fighting in the battle of the same name.  The Division also fought in the Battle of Flers -Courcelette 15th to 22nd September 1916.  In this last battle, tanks were used for the first time.

Ancestry UK indicated that Walter John Malham was born 23 February 1897. He was a warehouse assistant in 1911 and his father was a engineering pattern maker. He had two older sisters.