William John Martin was born in 1918 in the village of Loddiswell, Devon where he was known as ‘John’ and worked as a butcher. Gunner Martin served in 367 Battery, 140th Field Regiment during 1939-40 as Driver to Major E.A. Milton.
I was honoured to have been invited to tell Driver Martin’s story on the FYTWIO Podcast in December 2022. It is available on Series 5, Episode 6: https://foryouthewarisover.podbean.com/
Martin was captured with Major Milton during the Breakout from Cassel on 30th May 1940, his small group having been surrounded by German tanks (see Breakout Pt 1)
Gunner William John Martin
After capture, he was marched in a POW column through Doullens, St Pol and Cambrai. At Cambrai the POWs were put on a train, from which he escaped while stationary at the French border at Hirson. Martin put on civilian clothes but two days later was re-captured. He was handed on to the French authorities, having masqueraded as an escaped prisoner, and was detained in a camp with 300 other Frenchmen.
Five weeks later, Martin managed to escape for a second time. He was recaptured and taken to Epernay, from where three weeks later, he escaped for a third time.
Martin then reached Marseilles and was re-arrested by the French authorities, but after ten days managed to escape again, living on stolen fruit. He smuggled himself on board a boat bound for Oran in Vichy French-controlled Algeria.
Gunner Martin’s account of his escapes in France
In Oran, Gunner Martin was again arrested and imprisoned (for a 5th time) but managed yet another escape, this time onto a boat to Casablanca. There he contacted the American Consul who assisted him onto a Portuguese boat bound for the Strait of Gibraltar. From there, Martin boarded a Royal Naval vessel and arrived back in England on 14th December 1940.
William Martin reported back to the 140th Regiment’s Woolwich Depot in December 1940 and, after a recommendation by Lt Col Brooks, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his bravery and initiative in March 1941.
After his DCM award, it appears that Martin transferred to the 50th Mechanical Equipment Company, Royal Engineers.
His new Regiment was involved in the D-Day landings and, sadly, on the 8th June 1944, he was killed on the Sword beach in Normandy, at the age of 26 years.
War Diary of the 30 Mechanical Equipment Section RE detailing their arrival on ‘Queen sector’ of Sword Beach on the 1st and 2nd tides of 6th June 1944. Martin was one of the ‘OR’ (ordinary ranks) wounded on 6-8th June 1944.
St Andrews Church, Aveton-Gifford
Driver William Martin DCM is buried in a Commonwealth War Grave at St Andrews Churchyard, Aveton-Gifford, near to his home in Devon.
Martin’s Grave Registration Report