Charles Edward Martin (1908 – 1940)
AMONG those who paid the supreme sacrifice as a result of the battle of Flanders was Private Charles Edward Martin of Grantley Street. He died in a military hospital in England on Sunday from machine-gun bullet wounds.
The story of how he, along with another soldier, were sent to occupy an advanced observation post during the German drive in Belgium, was told his widow Annie.
She said that before he passed away her husband informed her that they held the post in Flanders for 48 hours, and then the Germans came in swarms with machineguns.
Her husband was seriously wounded and his companion killed. Even while Private Martin lay on the ground wounded the Germans still splayed machine-gun fire at him.
Private Martin went to Spittlegate School. Later he joined the Lincolnshire Regiment, serving for seven years in Hong Kong.
He left the Army on reserve in 1937, married, but returned to duties for the war.
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