Name

John Martin.

Description

Belfast Telegraph Newspaper Photograph of Private John Martin.

Life Story

Name: John Martin.

Service Number: L/7548.

Rank: Private.

Battalion: 2nd Battalion.

Regiment: Royal Sussex Regiment.

Born: Brighton, England.

Died: 11th September 1914.

Address: 33 Upper Meenan Street, Belfast

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John Martin, son of Richard Martin, lived at 33 Upper Meenan Street, Shankill Road, Belfast with his wife Sarah children

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John married Sarah Martin, Nee Morgan, on the 5th September 1909 within St Anne's Belfast.

His occupation at this time is given as Soldier within Royal Sussex Regiment and his address is given as Victoria Barracks, Belfast.

John and Sarah went on to have three children, their names and dates of birth are listed as follows: Violet born 2nd January 1910, John Henry born 20th February 1913, Mary born 25th February 1915

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John joined the Royal Sussex Regiment on the 8th September 1903.

He was posted as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France on the 27th August 1914.

John was a Private in 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment when he was Killed In Action on the 11th September 1914 in France

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A local newspaper states.

PRIVATE JOHN MARTIN, 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, of 33 Upper Meenan Street, Belfast, killed in battle Sept 13, in France. He leaves a wife and two children

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A sad fact to this story is the birth of Johns third child Mary. Given Mary wasnt born until February 1915, 5 months after her father's death, this meant neither met. SASH dont have the dates concerning Johns Service and we do not want to speculate, however we hope that John had been home prior to being posted on August 27th 1914, and during a period in which his wife Sarah was able to have told him that she was pregnant

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Johns Soldiers Effects were left to his wife Sarah.

A Pension Application Form shows his wife Sarah as claimant.

His Dependant Pension Application Form shows his widow Sarah as claimant also

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John received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914 Star

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He is Remembered at Priez Communal Cemetery, France.

To Remember Is To Honour

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