Captain John Martin MC 

John Martin was born in Edinburgh on the 28th November 1888, the son of 
James and Euphemia Carrack Barclay Martin. He was educated at Malvern 
College and Edinburgh University. He served in the College Cadet Corps as a 
Private for two years, then in the Officer Training Corps at University. 

John joined the Army on the 14th August 1914, and was granted a temporary 
commission as 2Lt on the 26th August. In the Gordon Highlanders. He had also 
expressed an interest in the Cameron Highlanders and the Highland light 
Infantry. At his time of enlistment he was living at 13 Forbes Road, 
Edinburgh. 

On enlistment the following details are given,
Age 25.
Height 72 ¼ inches.
Chest max 38 min 36.
Weight 168.
Hearing good.
Teeth up to standard.
Vision 6/6.
Colour vision normal.
Described as fit. 

Promotion details.
T 2/Lt “6th Aug 1914, Lt 10th June 1915, Capt 14th April 1916.
Original served with the 8th Gordon Highlanders before the amalgamation into 
the 8th/10th Gordon Highlanders, on May the 11th 1916. He went to France on 
the 12th March 1915 and is listed as Capt in A Coy, on the 11th may 1916. 

War Diary for the 30th Jan 1917. 

On the night of the 29th/30th a raid was carried out by B and D Coys on the 
Butte De Warlencourt and the Quarry. At midnight the two assaulting Coys, 
clad in white smocks and with whitened steel helmets moved up into position 
along tapes which were laid the night previously by Capt martin and Capt 
priday. Lt Mutch was in command of B Coy with 2Lt Kemp, 2Lt Walker, 2lt 
Hafford. Lt Kenyon was in command of D Coy with 2Lt Knowles and 2Lt Farster. 
Some difficulty was experienced in getting the men into place, but this was 
accomplished safely, by 1.30 am. The German wire was all cut by artillery 
and gaps were made in our own. During all this time there was practically no 
shelling by either side. Prompt to a second to zero 1.45 am our artillery of 
all calibres placed an intense barrage on the enemy trench in front of 
Butte, stokes guns, medium trench mortars and machine guns assisted. 
Immediately the artillery started the assaulting waves (2) commenced to 
cross no mans land at zero +1 minute the barrage lifted at the rate of 50 
yards per minute. Practically no opposition was offered to our advance with 
the exception of the left flank which was  held up for a short time by a MG 
on the left of the quarry. The waves moved steadily forward and reached the 
Butte after 10 minutes. The ground was in a very bad condition and full of 
enormous craters. B Coys objective was the Butte and dugouts in it. The 
right of B Coy encountered a German post and held by six men that 
immediately surrendered. They then entered the Butte Trench and discovered a 
deep dugout and trench mortar emplacement with gun in position. This was 
destroyed and dugout bombed. The left flank and centre of B Coy saw no 
trench before reaching the Butte, there they discovered several dugouts. The 
occupants were called upon to surrender those in the first refused so 
several mills were throw in one or two P bombs and a stokes bomb were thrown 
in, wrecking the dugout and setting it on fire. One prisoner was got out of 
the second which was treated similarly to number one. In the third 12 
prisoners were captured and it also was wrecked.
D Coys objective was the Quarry. This was reached after a short time, owing 
to the activities of a machine gun on the left edge. This gun was knocked 
out and then  the advance was continued to the Quarry. Her many Germans were 
discovered and killed. One dugout in the right hand corner was successfully 
bombed. Six prisoners were reported to have been captured, but they never 
reached our Adv Btn Hq. The whole raid was a great success in all 17 
prisoners passed through our hands. According to all reports many casualties 
were inflicted on the enemy. Its calculated that these amount to 50 or 60 
all told. Our casualties were slight amounting at the very outside to be 16 
or 17. There were three Officers, two 2Lt Farster and 2Lt Walker slightly 
wounded and 2Lt Knowles missing believed killed. The enemy did not put up a 
fight at all. No barrage was placed on our lines and no SOS signal were 
seen. It is thought that owing to the quietness that they were absolutely 
deceived as to our intentions and no thought of our attack occurred to them. 
On the admission of one of the prisoners who spoke a little English, it came 
as a complete surprise.
The following message was received from the Div. The  GOC congratulates you 
and your brigade on the operation so successfully carried out. Brig Gen 
Marshall adds. I wish to thank all ranks for the trouble taken in preparing 
for the raid, and gallantry displayed in the execution.
About 3.15 am the dugouts on the Butte were blazing merrily at this hour an 
explosion occurred there and flames rose about 30 feet in the air, bombs and 
SAA were also heard exploding, at 10 am this morning the Butte was still 
smoking. 

Capt Martin was awarded the Military Cross for this action, it appears in 
the London Gazette on the 12th March 1917. His citation reads,
`For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He displayed marked courage 
and ability in organising the arrangements previous to a raid. Later, during 
the raid, he personally supervised the guiding of the assaulting troops`. 

 

  


The Battle of Arras 

At 2.30 am on the 9th April 1917, the Btn began to move forward to assembly 
trenches for the attack. The Btn was reported in position at 4.30 am, one 
hour before zero, no casualties having occurred and the enemy’s suspicions 
apparently not having been aroused. The position of the Btn as follows-
A Coy under Capt John Martin MC, right front.
B Coy under Capt W McCall, on the left front.
D Coy under 2Lt B Burnett, in support.
C Coy under Lt P Booth, in reserve.
Strength Officers 20 OR`s 702. 

At 5.30 am Zero our barrage opened with a thunder of sound and our support 
and reserve Coys moved out of their trenches. At 2 minutes in accordance 
with the plan, the front Coys climbed from their trenches and moved forward. 
The movement was made in perfect order, a tendency on the part of the men to 
follow our barrage too closely being the only problem calling for Officers 
control. 

The enemy’s SOS signal was put up about 30 seconds after zero, and a field 
gun barrage was put down on our front line and communication trenches about 
3 minutes later, causing a few casualties to C Coy before they got over the 
front line, and the two front Coys dashed into the enemy first line before 
opposition was passable. From this point until the  taking of the 1st 
objective 500 yards behind the  German front line, the front Coys moved 
forward behind the barrage with perfect steadiness and splendid courage. 
News of its capture was telephoned to Btn Hq, 7 ½ minutes after it was 
timed to be taken. Hq were advanced  to the front line and remained with the 
leading Coys throughout subsequent operations. A halt of 1 hour 40 minutes 
at this point allowed reorganisation. There was little shelling the enemy 
having engaged in withdrawing its guns.
At 7.50 am the Btn advanced to the second objective in the altered formation 
laid down. This objective represented a further advance of 1000 yards, A and 
B Coys remained in the front line attack. Before the attack had advanced 150 
yards, it was held up by machine gun fire from Railway Triangle and a 
redoubt on the right. This redoubt was outside our area, but Capt Martin MC 
seeing that the Division on our right were swinging away from the redoubt, 
instead of attacking it, at once organised two parties to storm it. With 2Lt 
A C Hay he led these parties and captured the redoubt, both Officers 
unfortunately being killed in doing so. Their efforts coupled with the 
arrival of a tank, which advanced against Railway Triangle enabled the Btn 
to move forward and take the second objective. 

A telegraph was sent to Mr Martin, 61 Queens St Edinburgh, ` Deeply regret 
to inform you Capt J Martin, Gordon Highlanders was killed in action April 
9th. The Army Council expresses their sympathy.
 

 

John’s will states that his estate of £122 9 5, was to go to his Father. 
James Martin Solicitor Supreme Courts of 13 Forbes Rd Edinburgh.  All his 
personal effects were sent home, and collected by his father.  In a letter 
dated 5th May 1917, the following items are sent home,
1. 1 Identity disc.
2. 1 Cheque book. 

Another letter also dated the 5th May 1917,says,
Sir,
I am directed to inform you that a report has been received which states 
that the late Capt J Martin 8th Gordon Highlanders, is buried at Blangy 
Cross roads, North East of Arras.
The grave has been registered in this office, and is marked by a durable 
wooded cross with an inscription bearing full particulars. 

John Martin is buried in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Slouches, Pas de 
Calais France, XVII. J. 48. 

Portraits of John Martin can be found in, Watsonians who served in the Great 
War and the University of Edinburgh Roll of Honour. 

His medals were sent to his father at 61 Queens St Edinburgh, which appears 
to be his offices on the 9th August 1917. His Military Cross was sent on the 
15th June 1917. 

To my knowledge only his Memorial Plaque survives. 

Gordon Caldecott