Private 8475 Joseph Martin

Killed in Action on Monday, 25th September 1916, age 24.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 7 D of Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

2nd Bn., Scots Guards. 3 (Gds) Brigade of Guards Division.

Husband of Mrs Margaret Rosina Martin, of 9 Aylesford Street, Easy Road, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Leeds, Resident: Leeds.

First landed France & Flanders, 17th May 1916.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/805068/

Genealogical Data

1891 Census
31 Tudor Street, Tipton, Staffs.
John Martin (30, Wharf Labourer, born London), his wife Maria (28, born Moxley), and their 3 children: Phoebe (9, Scholar, born Tipton), Maria (3, born Tipton), and Jane (2, born Tipton).

Birth of Joseph Martin registered March quarter 1892 in Dudley (born 8th December 1891).

John Martin died in September quarter 1895. Maria married the widowed Thomas Smith (also of Tudor Street) on 23rd August 1896 at St. Paul’s Church in Owen Street, Tipton. Thomas’s forename was registered as William. The family moved to Leeds between 1898 and 1901.

1901 Census
26 Ark Street, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Thomas Smith (43, Boilermaker, born West Bromwich), his wife Maria (40, born Darlaston), and their 2 children: Samuel (3, born Tipton) and Albert (1 month, born Leeds).
Also 3 of Thomas’s children from his first marriage: Richard (11, born Dudley Port), William (9, born Dudley Port) and John (7, born Dudley Port).
Also Maria’s 5 children from her first marriage: Maria Martin Smith (15, Spinner in Flax Mill, born Dudley Port), Jane Martin Smith (12, born Dudley Port), Joseph Martin Smith (8, born Dudley Port), Jeremiah Martin Smith (6, born Dudley Port), and Mary Ann Martin Smith (5, born Dudley Port).

1911 Census
17 Harry Crescent, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Thomas Smith (56, Boilermaker, born West Bromwich), his wife Maria (53, born Darlaston), and their 2 surviving children of 3: Samuel (13, Boilermaker’s Apprentice, born Tipton) and Albert (10, born Leeds).
Also 3 of Thomas’s children from his first marriage: Richard (21, Brickworks Labourer, born Tipton), William (19, Brickworks Labourer, born Tipton) and John (17, Brickworks Labourer, born Tipton).
Also 3 of Maria’s children from her first marriage: Joseph Martin (19, Iron Founder, born Tipton), Jeremiah Martin (17, Coal Miner, born Tipton), and Mary Ann Martin (15, Piecener in Cloth Mill, born Tipton).

Joseph Martin married 21-year old Margaret Rosina Standen on 4th December 1915 at Caterham Barracks. He was obviously at home during February 1916 as daughter Margaret Elizabeth born on 10th November 1916 in Purley, Surrey. Unfortunately James was killed almost 2 months before this date, on 25th September 1916.

Personal Data

Joseph Martin was born in Tipton in December 1891, but before he was 10 years of age his family had moved to live in Leeds. His father had died in 1895 and his mother married widower Thomas Smith in 1896. Between 1898 and 1901 the extensive family moved to Leeds, they consisted of Smith children, Martin children, and Smith children from the new marriage.

Joseph's brother Jeremiah (Jerry) Martin (Pte 8414, 2nd Scots Guards), and his half-brothers Samuel Smith (Pte 23077, 1st Northumberland Fusiliers) and Albert Smith (Pte 44632, 5th Lincolnshire Regiment) were also killed in the Great War. Albert was born and resident in Leeds so is not commemorated on this Tipton website, but Joseph and Samuel are both commemorated on this website.

Joseph Martin enlisted in Leeds on 10th December 1912 as Private 8475 with the Scots Guards for a period of 3 years with the Colours and 9 years in the Reserves. He was 21 years and 11 months old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighed 149 pounds with a 38-inch chest, and was employed as a Striker. He had blue eyes, fair hair, a fresh complexion, and his religion was Church of England. Joseph’s next of kin was his mother, Mrs Maria Smith of 17 Harry Crescent, Leeds, but he also mentioned his brother Jerry who was already serving with the Scots Guards.

Joseph transferred to the 1st Battalion in February 1913, serving in London and Aldershot. In September 1913 he was described as being: “hardworking, honest, sober and trustworthy. Clean and smart.“ Shortly afterwards, on 15th October 1913, he extended his period of service to be 7 years with the Colours. In July 1914 Joseph transferred to the Depot of the Scots Guards, and despite the outbreak of war remained there – possibly he was involved in recruit training.

On 17th May 1916, Joseph landed in France and was transferred to the 2nd Battalion. At that time they were in the Ypres sector, but transferred down to the Somme sector in late July 1916.

After Joseph’s death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £9/9/10d (9 pounds, 9 shillings and 10 pence); this was paid to his widow and Sole Legatee, Rosina M. (actually Margaret Rosina), in January and April 1918. His War Gratuity was £12/0/0d (12 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his widow in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Joseph had enlisted in approximately August 1914.

Joseph’s widow, Margaret, was awarded a Widow's Pension of £0/18/9d (18 shillings and 9 pence) per week for herself and her daughter Margaret Elizabeth, effective from 4th June 1917. Margaret's address at this time was 9 Aylesford Street, Easy Road, Leeds – close to Joseph’s family in Spring Close Street, Leeds.

Joseph's widow, Margaret, went on to have 5 more children (surname Martin) with a man named John William Colligan (Asylum Attendant - Male Nurse - Liverpool), before marrying Walter James Beckley on 14th September 1929 in Liverpool. She emigrated to the USA in 1947 to join her youngest daughter Patricia Mock and died, aged 88, in 1982 in Pennsylvania where her youngest daughter Patricia lived.
Information courtesy: www.tase.co.uk/index.php?function=individual&record=83.

Action resulting in his death

As the Battle of the Somme began on July 1st 1916, the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards (2/SG) were serving in the Ypres Salient. By the end of July they had begun their way south to the Somme battlefields, going into the line near Hebuterne in mid-August.

September proved to be an expensive month for 2/SG having 7 Officers and 145 Other Ranks killed, half of this number being killed on 25th September. 2/SG had been in trenches near to Guillemont for the early part of the month, and on 15th September had been involved in the Guards Division attack on Lesboeufs when 2/SG had 35 men killed.

On 25th September, the Battle of Flers/Courcelette began, with 2/SG attacking Lesboeufs. Zero hour was 12.35pm, and 2/SG advanced under a creeping barrage to their first objective - an advance of 400 yards which was achieved with few casualties. An hour later, at 1.35pm, the advance re-started with the second and final objective being a Sunken Road 700 yards further forward. This objective was also achieved, but with significant casualties from a heavy enemy barrage especially when digging-in at the Sunken Road.

The 1st Grenadier Guards then passed through 2/SG and went on to take the third objective for the day. 2/SG consolidate their position over the next 24 hours before being relieved on the night of 26th September. Guedecourt was taken at 7.00am on 26th September by a neighbouring Division.

On just that one day, 25th September, 2/SG had 2 Officers and 74 Other Ranks killed; this included Joseph Martin. Like the majority of the men killed on that day, Joseph has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

Newspaper Cuttings

Skyrack Courier – Leeds, August 3rd 1917
HALTON (Editor: a district of East Leeds)
Private Joseph Martin (25) and Private Jerry Martin, both of the Scots Guards, have been killed in action. They had been in the Army five and six years respectively, and formerly were employed at Waterloo Main Colliery, Temple Newsam, Leeds.
Editor: This is not strictly true, neither brother had served quite 5 years, and Jeremiah’s service had been interrupted by 15-months desertion.