Cyril Gordon Martin

Cyril Gordon Martin
Born	19 December 1891 Foochow, China
Died	14 August 1980 (aged 88) Woolwich, London
Buried at	Eltham Crematorium
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Brigadier
Unit	Royal Engineers
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Victoria Cross Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order

Cyril Gordon Martin VC CBE DSO (19 December 1891 – 14 August 1980) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 23 years old, and a Lieutenant in the 56th Field Company, Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 12 March 1915 at Spanbroekmolen on the Messines Ridge, Belgium, Lieutenant Martin volunteered to lead a small bombing party against a section of the enemy trenches which was holding up the advance. Before he started he was wounded, but, taking no notice, he carried on with the attack which was completely successful. He and his small party held the trench against all counter-attacks for two and a half hours until a general withdrawal was ordered.^[1]

He later achieved the rank of Brigadier and served during World War II. Martin was with the Northern Command in India in 1939 as Deputy Chief Engineer. He served in Iraq in 1941 as Chief Engineer, British troops. From 1945-47 he was Chief Engineer with the North-West Army, India. During this time he was also ADC to King George VI.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham, Kent.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)
• VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)

External links

• Royal Engineers Museum Sappers VCs