Fred Martin
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Fred was the son of Joseph and Charlotte Martin (née Ball). His father Joseph was born in about 1858 at Arnold and his mother Charlotte Ball was born in about 1860 at Thurgarton, Nottinghamshire. They were married at Arnold St Mary in April 1882 and according to the 1911 Census, had 12 children, one of whom died in infancy or childhood. All the children were born in Arnold: Ada b. 1882, Edith b. 1884, Fred b. 1887, Annie b. 1889, James b. 1891 and Charlotte b. 1892 who were all baptised at Arnold St Mary, Fred in August 1888, and Ellen b. 1894, Frank b. 1896, Ernest b. 1898, Alfred b. 1900, Wilfred b. 1901 and Mabel b. 1902. According to the baptismal records, Joseph and Charlotte were living on Front Street, Arnold, between 1883 and 1888 but had moved to Wellington Street by 1890 when James was baptised. They were still living there with their five children Ada, Edith, Fred, Annie and James, when the census was compiled the following year. However, by 1901 Joseph, a coal miner, Charlotte and their 11 children were living on Cross Street, Arnold: Ada and Edith who were both in the hosiery trade, Fred a farm labourer, Annie, James, Charlotte, Ellen, Frank, Ernest and Alfred. The youngest child Mabel was born the following year. In 1911 the family was living at Nottingham Road, Arnold: Joseph and Charlotte and 11 children, Edith a hosiery point seamer, Fred a lace hand, Annie a hosiery hand, James a lace brass bobbin winder, Charlotte a laundry ironer, Ellen a hosiery point seamer, Frank a coal ganger, Ernest of no occupation, and Alfred, Wilfred and Mabel who were of school age. The eldest child, Ada, has not yet been traced on the 1911 census nor on a death registration record. Fred married Mabel Florence Lee (b. 1891) in 1912 (reg. Basford) and they had two children, Sidney b. 1912 and Edith b. 1913. They lived at 48 Marshall Street, Sherwood, Nottingham. His widow Mabel married Joseph Peck in 1923 and was still living in Sherwood, when the CWGC record was compiled, but she and Joseph had moved to Arnold by 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Fred's mother Charlotte died in September 1939 and his father Joseph in May 1949. Both were buried in Redhill Cemetery, Arnold.
1st Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Lance Corporal Fred Martin enlisted at Nottingham and joined the 1st Battalion the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; he was posted to “D” Company. In November 1918, the battalion was in the area of Monceau north west of Avesnes. The resistance of the German Army was crumbling fast and they had been pushed back behind the Scheldt River along a 20 mile front. The Americans played a big part in this final push punching a way through the German defences near Buzancy, thus making space for the French to cross the River Aisne. Fred was killed in action on 4 November 1918. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France (Panel 8). CWGC - History of the Vis-en-Artois Memorial (extract): The villages of Vis-en-Artois and Haucourt are on the main road from Arras to Cambrai. 'This Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.' (www.cwgc.org)
Fred's brother, Frank, served with the 2/8th Bn Sherwood Foresters (305237 Sergeant) and was killed on 21 March 1918. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. (See record on this Roll of Honour) CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Joseph and Charlotte Martin, of Nottingham Rd., Arnold, Notts; husband of Mabel Florence Peck (formerly Martin), of 10, Glenroy Terrace, Hood St., Sherwood, Nottingham.' Following Fred's death his widow Mabel was awarded a pension of 25 shillings and 5 pence a week with effect from 2 June 1919.
