Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: William Martin
Service Number: 2200
Place of Birth: Jamestown
Date of Birth: 13 November 1897
Place of Enlistment: Keswick
Date of Enlistment: 2 June 1915
Age at Enlistment: 18 years 4 months
Marital Status: Single
Next of Kin: Father – Thomas William Martin
Occupation:
Religion: Church of England
Rank: Private 3rd Reinforcements 27th Battalion
Involvement with WAFC: William played 56 games for WAFC from 1922 to 1925 and kicked 60 goals. William represented SA in 1925. He made his debut on 6 May 1922. His most successful season was that of 1922, in which he kicked 22 goals, including 6 goals in the 1st semi-final against West Torrens. Unfortunately, he was only able to muster 1 goal 7 behinds out of an abysmal West Adelaide score of 2 goals 16 behinds in the losing grand final against Norwood. “Plugger” Bill Martin played half-forward and ruck. (1.) He was recruited by Sturt from West Adelaide in 1926 and went on to play 104 games for his new club by the time he retired in 1933. His interstate career comprised all four matches at the 1930 Adelaide carnival, in the course of which he kicked four goals. Source: www.australianfootball.com/players.
John Devaney in Full Points Footy’s SA Football Companion states “Bill ‘Plugger’ Martin arrived at the club (Sturt) in 1926 after a four year stint at West Adelaide. At the end of that season he had the good fortune to be included in the Double Blues winning challenge final combination against North Adelaide.
A hardy, rugged, sometimes overly vigorous competitor, he was well respected at Unley, and skippered the senior side in 1929. When he retired in 1933 he had played a total of 104 league matches, and kicked 97 goals, for the Double Blues to compliment his 53 game, 66 goal career at the Bloods”.
Biographical details:
William was the son of John Martin and Catherine McCann. He left Australia with his unit, the 3rd reinforcements 27th Battalion on 26 August 1915. He served at Mudros in January 1915 and Alexandria in January 1916. When fighting at Montauban, France, he was shot in the arm on 5 November 1916. His father was notified by Army Base Records in Melbourne, on 1 December. William was able to rejoin his unit on 8 January 1917. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 1 March, but later requested to revert to his former rank of private.
William was wounded on a second occasion during action in France on 21 March, sustaining a gunshot wound to his hand, but was able to rejoin his unit 4 days later. A bout of scabies necessitated hospitalization for 3 weeks from late August to mid-September. Further treatment being required resulted in William boarding the hospital ship Grantully Castle for England on 16 December, where he was admitted to the 5th Southern General Hospital at Portsmouth the same day.Upon recovering, he was granted furlough from 17 January to 31 January 1918. William was then stationed at the overseas Training Brigade in Hurdcott. He returned to France on 20 March 1918, where he rejoined his unit on 24 March. William was wounded on a 3rd occasion during action on 8 August, in which he was shot in the left leg and after receiving treatment at a Casualty Clearing Station, was invalided to England and admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley. His father was advised of William’s situation on 21 August. Shortly after resuming duty he was wounded on a 4th occasion on 1 September when shot in the calf of the left leg and was admitted to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen, France and later, the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley in England.
William returned to Australia on board the Nestor on 2 January 1919 and was discharged on 8 April. He received the 1914/15 Star, the Victory medal and the British War Medal by June 1922.
Despite his horrific experience of the war, coupled with being wounded on four separate occasions, William was able to consolidate a formidable career with West from 1922 to 1925, further highlighting his resilience and commitment to West Adelaide and life itself. For this he deserves respect and admiration.
William died at Plympton on 10 May 1986, aged 88 and is buried at the Derrick Garden of Remembrance, Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide.
Source: NAA; B2455; Martin W; Barcode 3000945.
(1.) W.T. Kelly History of West Adelaide Football Club Pg13.