Name
Henry Edward C Martin
4 Oct 1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/06/1919
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Acting Sergeant Major
C43811
Canadian Field Artillery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Wheathampstead Village Memorial, St. Peter's Church Memorial, Gustard Wood
Pre War
Henry Edward C. Martin was born in Tottenham, Middlesex, London on 4 Oct 1885, son of Joseph Martin, a Ships Brokers Clerk and Bertha (nee Westley). Bertha Westley had been born in New York, USA: her father was a British businessman living and working in New York with his wife at the time of her birth. Henry’s father Joseph died in 1889.
The 1891 Census records Henry aged 5, at school, living with his widowed mother, sisters Jemima (Jennie) (born 1882), Bertha (born 1883), and brother John (born 1888) at,18, Queen Ann Villas, Hyde Side, Fairholme, Edmonton, Middx. His Grandparents Edward and Jane Westley were living with the family. Edward Westley was a Retired Wine Merchant.
No 1901 Census record was found for Henry.
Henry migrated to Canada about 1906, and worked for the Bell Telephone Company, as a Telephone Engineer in Guelph, Ontario
In 1907 he enlisted in the 9th (Missisauga) Horse Artillery, (a Militia unit in Ontario Canada, serving 5 years with Artillery and 2 years Cavalry) Militia
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Henry enlisted at Valcartier, Quebec, medically declared fit on 8 Sep 1914 he attested on 24 Sep 1914, as Private C43811, Canadian Field Artillery and posted to 1st Division Ammunition Column. His record states he was single, aged 28, 5ft -10 in. tall, and employed as a Telephone Engineer. He was promoted to Sergeant on 22 Sep 1914. Henry sailed for UK with his Division from Quebec on 4 Oct 1914 aboard SS ‘Megantic’, arriving in UK on 14 Oct 1914. Following training on Salisbury Plain the Division, including Henry went to France in early Feb 1915 and deployed to Hazebrouck by 15 Feb 1915. During 2nd Battle of Ypres, the Canadian Division were involved in the Actions of Grafenstal (22-23 Apr 1915), where French Units were attacked with gas and the Canadians counter attacked stalling the Germans and St Julien (24 Apr-4 May 1915). Henry was posted to 4th Battery, 1st Brigade CFA on 22 Aug 1915.
He was gassed twice, following the 2nd gassing he was admitted to No. 2 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, France on 6 Mar 1916 with suspected Bronchitis, transferred back to England on 13 March 1916, and admitted to Brook War Hospital, Woolwich, the following day 14 March. For the next 6 months he moved between, the Canadian Military Hospital, Shorncliffe, Canadian Military Hospital, Bromley, and then back to the Canadian Military Hospital, Shorncliffe where he was diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB) and discharged back to Canada in Aug 1916, as medically unfit for war service. He was discharged from the Canadian Army at Toronto, Ontario, on 7 Oct 1916, under K. R. & O. 392. XVI. Physically unfit for war service. He was discharged with a pension and died on 6 June 1919. He is not recorded on the CWGC database. At the time he was taken ill he held the rank of Acting Sergeant Major.
Henry is not recorded on the CWGC database, being in the Canadian Army. Henry is buried in Prospect Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Additional Information
His mother received a Gratuity of £30 16s 5d from the Canadian Government.
His connection to Gustard Wood and Wheathampstead is through his sister Jemima (Jennie) who lived in Wheathampstead, with her husband Percy Mitchell. His widowed mother Bertha lived with Jemima (Jennie) and her husband. His sister Bertha served as a Q A R N Nurse aboard HMS Berdice during the war and at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London.
He is not recorded on the CWGC database.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Gill Roe as part of the 'Wheathampstead in the Great War' project
