William
Strelley Martin was born in Lesmahagow, Lanark on 19 December 1888
During his university days he was on the unattached list for the Territorial Forces
Cadets being Colour Sergeant and then 2nd
Lieutenant with the Infantry Unit of
the Glasgow University contingent of the Senior Division of the Officers
Training Corps 13/12/1910
After
graduating with an MA in 1908 he started studying towards his medical degree
and graduated MB Ch B in 1914 his military records show that he entered the Royal
Army Medical Corps in the early days of the War – Oct 1914. Serving in France and Belgium throughout the war he
was awarded the Military Cross “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty
in leading his bearers during seven days operations through the most intense
shelling with infinite resource and regardless for personal safety it was due
to his masterly organisation and example that the wounded were collected so
promptly” Supplement to the London Gazette 6/4/1918. Martin himself was wounded
during this period.
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| William Strelley Martin |
After
returning from WWI Strelley Martin served in India from 1922 1934. He returned
to India in 1937 and became A.D.M.S. Delhi district. After returning to the UK at the conclusion of WWII he was appointed a
senior member of the medical branch of the Allied Control Commission in
Germany. In 1950 he became A.D.M.S. to the Highlands District before retiring
in 1953.
The photos in this story appear on the IWM Lives of the First World War site.
Attempts have been made to contact the original owners for permission.
His
promotion to Honorary Brigadier was the culmination of his career having been
promoted as follows
1938-10-29 Lieutenant-Colonel
1942-08-22 Acting
Colonel
1943-02-22 Temporary
Colonel
1943-12-07 Acting
Brigadier
1944-02-29 Reverted
to Temporary Colonel
1946-05-25 Acting
Brigadier
1946-08-30 Temporary
Brigadier
1951-08-19 Reverted
to Lieutenant-Colonel
1951-09-26 Temporary
Colonel
1953-10-29 Granted
the Honorary rank of Brigadier
 |
| After an long Career spanning two war William had a chest full of medals |
His service from the beginning of WWII is as
follows
1937-1938 Assistant Director of Hygiene &
Pathology Western Command, India
1938-1939 Deputy Assistant Director of Hygiene West
India District
1939-1942 Assistant Director of Hygiene Southern
Command, India
1942-1943 Assistant Director of Medical Services
2nd Division
1943-07-XX -1943-12-XX Assistant Director of Medical Services Lahore District
1943-12-XX-1944-02-XX Director Medical Services 11th Army Group
1944-1946 Assistant Director of Medical Services
Delhi District
1946 -1947 Principal Medical Officer Public Health
Branch, British Element, Allied Control Commission Germany
1947-1951Public Health Advisor to the Military
Government British Zone, Germany
1951-1953 Assistant Director of Medical Services
Highland District
1953-10-29
Retired
In his obituary
in the British Medical Journal in 24/2/1962 a friend and colleague A C.J writes
“Strelley
Martin was a prominent member of the student union in 1909 when he first attended
Glasgow University but my recollection of him as a little tenant in the Glasgow
University Offices Training Corps particularly during our inspection by Lord
Roberts about 1910 or 11. He was always a keen soldier.”
Strelley
Martin died in 1961 Douglas, Lanarkshire.
This brave man was my second cousin 2x removed . I traced him because of
the Strelley component of his name. His grandmother was my 2x great Grand Aunt
Georgina Grace Greasley Strelley
His brother too is remembered for his service in WWI and possibly part into WWII. Thomas Partington
Martin b 24/7/1890 was the second son of son of William and Alice Martin Lesmahagow. My experience is that there are few records
of the Royal Army Military Corps (burnt collection?) He was a Lt Colonel service number 110419. during WWI and appears
to have been a successful business merchant who died in Kensington England in
1974. Happy to hear from someone who has more to tell.
Unfortunately their cousins didn't fare so well. Watch for more Martin stories.
Was this gentleman the son of a Dr John Ritchie, educated at the University of Glasgow, around the late 1880s/1890, do you happen to know? I'd be interested to find Dr Ritchie's descendants.
ReplyDeleteNo, but his wife, Frances, was the daughter of Dr Ritchie of Dunoon. She trained as a nurse at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow. She outlived Strelley by over 10 years, continuing to live in Glasgow. She told me that two of her husband’s contemporaries at GU were Walter Elliot and James Bridie, and that the three were involved in setting up “Daft Friday” as members of what was then the Men’s Union.
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