LEST WE FORGET
Second Lieutenant William Stanley MARTIN
Service No: 12468
Born: Geelong VIC, 5 August 1893
Enlisted in the Army: 23 July 1915
Unit: No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Died: Air Operations, near Meteren, 12 June 1918, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Ebblinghem Military Cemetery, Ebblinghem, Nord Pas de Calais, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Edwin Barrett Martin and Isabella Stalker Martin, of 10, Brownbill Street, East Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Place of Association: Geelong VIC
Remembered: Panel 188, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Captain E. J. K. McCloughry, (1) leading a patrol in the forenoon of June 12th over the daily tracks of No. 4’s marauding formations, destroyed another Estaires balloon and Martin (2) just missed setting a second on fire as it was drawn down. The patrol was promptly attacked in turn by nine Albatros and Pfalz scouts. McCloughry turned upon one Pfalz, which was diving at him, fired a burst into the enemy’s side at thirty yards’ range, and the Pfalz went down out of control. It was seen by anti-aircraft observers to crash. Martin was not so fortunate; a Pfalz shot him down from above, and he fell in No-Man’s Land near Meteren, and was killed.
(1) Air Vice Marshal Edgar James Kingston McCloughry DSO DFC psa RAF; Born Hindmarsh SA, 10 September 1896, Died, 15 November 1972
(2) Sopwith Camel aircraft B5646
Extract from Cutlack, F.M. (Frederic Morley) The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War 1914-8, Angus and Robertson Ltd Sydney, 1941 – Page 287
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, MARTIN W S
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Book AIR 1/969 page 352, 183847
Bibliography:
Richards, E.J. (Edward John) Australian Airmen: History of the 4th Squadron, publisher unknown, c1919