Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Mrs Catherine Martin, Anne Street, Charters Towers, Queensland

Military Cross

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. His subsection was attacked in the rear by over-powering numbers, and seeing no hope of saving his guns, he caused them to be destroyed, and fought his way through. Later, he organized scattered elements of infantry and organized a successful attack, driving the enemy back.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169
Date: 4 October 1917

CHARTERS TOWERS BOY
WINS MILITARY CROSS.
The many friends of Lieut. Norman Martin, son of Mrs. F. Martin, Anue Street, will be pleased to hear that he has been awarded the Military Cross (says the ‘‘Northern Miner.”) Lieut. Martin, who is but 20 years of age, is  a Towers native, and enlisted there. He left the Australian shores as a sergeant and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant of a  machine gun section for conspicuous work on the field of battle. In congratulating him on the award General Birdwood, sent the following letter 1st Anzac Corps, Ist May, 1917.—Dear Martin.— I congratulate you most heartily upon the award to you of the Military Cross for your good work in the fighting at Lagnicourt on the 15th April. I know that, when  you found your sub-section attacked in the rear by overwheling numbers, you fought your way through the enemy with the aid of ypur revolver, and then launched a counter  attack with what troops you could find, driving the Germans back.- Later, I know you inflicted considerable casualties among the enemy by your accurate direction of your Lewis  gun fire, causing them to retreat in disorder. Your action, too, in rushing forward in a road, and capturing single-handed twelve Germans was both splendid and courageous, and  could not help but set a fine example to your men. Thank you so much for this, and wishing you all good fortune in the future.

Lieutenant Martin is a brother of Messrs. C. and E. Martin of this district, and attended the Bowen Boys State School for some time during his parents’ residence here. His mother,  Mrs P. Martin, arrived on Tuesday morning last on a visit to her sons, and his father Mr. F. Martin, is at present at New Guinea. 

KILLED IN ACTION.
Mr C. Martin received the sad news yesterday that his brother Captain Norman Martin was killed in action on October 29 th in France. Captain Martin who enlisted from Charters  Towers, had been 2 1/2 years at the front. He was fairly well-known here, having attended the local State School for about 8 months, and is a brother of Messrs C. and  E. Martin of this district. His lather is at present in New Guinea and his mother at Charters Towers. Captain Martin was a smart officer who rose up quickly from the ranks and the kind of  soldier England can ill af ford to lose.

MARTIN.—In sad but loving memory of my dear son and our beloved brother, the late Lieutenant Norman Martin, M.C., killed in action on 29th October, 1917.
What is the finest death to die,
And the fairest end to make ?
To fall as your country's foemen fly,
And to die for Freedom's sake !
To die with the young, the strong
the brave—
A flush on your eager soul.
Your body borne to a hero's grave,
And your name on Honor's Roll !
Mother, why do you weep so long ?
Brothers and sisters, wny do you
sigh ?
Louder in heaven is the angels' song
As the hero souls go by !
Up, brother, up ! And strike again.
Till you break the tyrant's rod—
The hero lives in the hearts of men,
And his soul is glad with God !
(Inserted by his sorrowing mother, brothers and sisters, Mrs. C. Martin, Anne-street, Charters Towers).

MARTIN.—In loving memory of our dear brother, the late Lieutenant Norman Martin, M.C., killed in action, 29th October, 1917.
You fought, dear Norman, for Britain's home and freedom,
And to down the dreadful Huns;
You answered the call of duty,
And joined the gallant throng.
Your death caused awful sorrow
When we heard the way you fell;
But you died a noble soldier—
The bravest death of all;
And the one thing in our home we
are proud of—
Is his photo on the wall.
(Inserted by his brother and sister, Ted., Kit, and Annie Martin, Bowen).

MARTIN.—In loving memory of my dear brother, the late Lieutenant Norman Martin, M.C., killed in action, 28th October, 1917.
And so when the war is over,
We seek for our poor lost brother;
The maiden will look for her lover,
The mother will look for her son;
And that will be the end to our griev-
ing.
The gladness will gleam over our
loss.
A glory beyond all believing—
We point to the name on the cross.
And when my heart is sore for you—
I seem to hear you say—
Break not your heart, dear brother;
We will meet you on eteral day.
Inserted by his loving brother, Jim, Selwyn).

MARTIN.—In loving memory of our dear brother, the late Lieutenant Norman Martin, M.C., killed in action on the 29th October, 1917.
'Midst the rain of shot and shell,
Our boy, like a hero, fell;
And at home there is a vacant chair,
And far away on the fields of France,
There's also a vacancy there.
Did he speak our names when dying ?
Did he breathe a parting prayer ?
Oh, where did they bury our darling
boy ?
Does anyone know or care ?
(Inserted by his loving brother and sister, Martha and Mont Ford, New Zealand).

MARTIN.—In loving memory of our dear brother, the late Lieutenant Norman Martin, M.C., killed in action on the 29th October, 1917.
His heart was good, his spirits brave;
His resting place a hero's grave.
To have to love, and then to part,
Is the saddest story of a human heart.
In our hearts your memory llngers—
Tender, fond and true;
There's not a day goes past, dear boy,
But what we think of you.
(Inserted by his loving brother and sister, Syd and Annie Martin, Mount Cuthbert).