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6977570   Corporal Samuel Martin
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Dated added: 01/01/2016   Last updated: 06/04/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 19/03/1915
Died: 24/04/1942 (Killed in Action)
Age: 27
Summary      
Samuel Martin was the eldest son of Samuel and Sarah Martin. He was born on 19th March 1915 in the Magherafelt area. The family lived at Megargy for a time. Samuel joined the army in 1932, aged 18. Corporal Samuel Martin served with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in World War Two. Corporal Samuel Martin died in Burma on 24th April 1942. The CWGC record Corporal Samuel Martin as the son of Samuel and Sarah Martin of Knockloughrim, County Londonderry.
Corporal Samuel Martin
Further Information
Samuel Martin was the eldest son of Samuel and Sarah Martin. Samuel Martin and Sarah Winton were married on 30th January 1913 in the district of Magherafelt.
Samuel Martin was born on 19th March 1915 in the Magherafelt area.
Known family: Samuel Martin, Sarah Martin, Mary Martin (born 17th April 1914), Samuel Martin (born 19th March 1915), Sarah Sadie Martin (born 27th August 1916), Annie Martin, Dorothy Martin, Robert Martin, William Martin.
Samuel left school at 14, when the family lived at Megargy.
He worked for Eakins of Magherafelt for 3 years as a farm labourer.
Samuel joined the army in 1932, aged 18.
Corporal Samuel Martin served with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in World War Two. The 1st Battalion were based in southern India at the outbreak of World War Two.
Corporal Samuel Martin
The Japanese swept through south east Asia in early 1942, capturing Singapore and invading Burma.
In March 1942, the battalion were flown to the north of Rangoon in Burma, with the objective of destroying oil wells in the area of Yenangyaung.
By 17th April 1942, the battalion had reached the oilfields to find that the Chinese force that had advanced from the north had already demolished the wells. By then however, the entire division was cut off by a ring of Japanese positions.
Corporal Samuel Martin died in Burma on 24th April 1942.
Losses were extremely heavy and less than one third of the men of the 1st Battalion returned from the jungle to India.
Corporal Samuel Martin has no known grave and is commemorated on Face 11 of the Rangoon Memorial in Burma.
Corporal Samuel Martin is commemorated locally on Castledawson War Memorial.
Samuel Martin is also commemorated on the family headstone in Maghera Church of Ireland churchyard.
Corporal Samuel Martin is listed on page 113 of the Castledawson War Dead Book – ‘They Didn’t Come Home.
The CWGC record Corporal Samuel Martin as the son of Samuel and Sarah Martin of Knockloughrim, County Londonderry.
All images courtesy of Sam Hudson, Desertmartin. Information provided here is courtesy of the excellent research undertaken by Mr Sam Hudson.
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Relevant Magherafelt Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Castledawson area Castledawson Listed on Castledawson War Memorial 54.777908 -6.557565
2 Knockloughrim Knockloughrim Census lists parents in Knockloughrim 54.815161 -6.606945
3 Megargy, Ballymoghan Lecumber Family lived in Megargy 54.744166 -6.637356
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 BBC -Royal Inn Fus in Burma 1944 Details of encirclement in Yenangyaung April 1942
2 Burma Campaign - 1 Royal Inn Fus Battalion Diary - February to April 1942
3 Castledawson War Dead Details of Corporal Samuel Martin including photo
4 Maghera Church graves Corporal Samuel Martin on family headstone
5 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Battle Honour - Yenangyaung April 1942
6 Three Commanding Officers in nine days Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Yenangyaung April 1942
7 Wikipedia - Battle of Yenangyaung Started 16th April 1942
Magherafelt District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2014-2023