• People
• Images
• Stories
• Places
• Streets
• Memorials
• Blog
• Events
• Resources

• Home /
• People /
• John William Martin

confirmed

Born: 1 January 1891

Died: 21 June 1966

A short piece on his experience with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was printed in Reveille, August 1955, and is collected in the The RSL Book of World War I, published 2015. 

Lance Corporal John William Martin, a 24-year-old hairdresser living at the family home in Mandalong Road, Mosman, re-enlisted on 11 July 1915 and was posted to the 30th Infantry Battalion. He embarked on the troopship Beltana on 9 November 1916 (sic) and returned to Australia on 16 October 1916 (sic).

[Anon]

______________________________________

A hairdresser and masseur who enlisted in the ANMEF on 11 August 1914. After service in the occupation of German colonies north of Australia he returned to Australia and was discharged on 4 March 1915.

He enlisted in the AIF on 11 July 1915. He embarked for Egypt on 9 November and arrived on 11 December.

He joined the 30th Battalion on 31 December. The Battalion arrived at Marseilles, France on 23 June 1916 and immediately moved to Hazebrouck in northern France.

He was wounded in action (shell shock) on 20 July 1916.  On 19 and 20 July his Battalion, which had a support role in the attack on Fromelles, lost a third of its strength (54 killed in action, 229 wounded in action and 68 missing) out of a total of 956.  He was evacuated to England for treatment.

He embarked for Australia on 16 October 1916 and arrived on 3 December then was discharged medically unfit from the AIF on 30 May 1917. [JSB]

All photos (1)

Name recorded

• John William Martin

Service numbers

• Service number 737
• Service number 1583

Ranks

• Held rank of Private
• Held rank of Lance Corporal

Birth record

• 1891 in Narrabri, NSW, Australia

Death record

• 21 June 1966 in Concord, NSW, Australia

Life event

• Enlisted at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Address

• Brigalow, Mandolong Road, Mosman, NSW, Australia

Relationships

• Father - John Alexander Martin
• Mother - Mary Jane Stanes Victor
• Wife - Mary Kathleen Raindle

Organisations

• Member Of – Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
• 30th Battalion, AIF

Main sources

• Martin John William : SERN 737 1583 : POB Sydney NSW : POE Sydney NSW : NOK M Cannon Jane (item)
• Discovering Anzacs - John William Martin (webpage)
• Corp. J. W. Martin (photograph)
• John William Martin: biographical notes courtesy Geraldine Walsh (webpage)
• MEREWETHER. SERGEANT MALCOLM. (newspaper article)
• WEDDINGS MARTIN-RAINDLE (newspaper article)

Commemorations

• MARTIN J. W. on the East Face of the Mosman War Memorial
• Martin, J.W. on the Mosman Public School Roll of Honour