Stanley Martin M.M.
Sergeant 200620
1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment and
2nd Lieutenant
2nd London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers
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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.