Harold Brownlow Martin
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Harold Brownlow Morgan "Micky" Martin, KCB
, DSO & Bar
, DFC & Two Bars
, AFC
(27 February 1918 – 3 November 1988) was an Australia
n pilot in the Royal Air Force
.
He rose to become a senior officer in the RAF commanding RAF Germany, then appointed as Air Member for Personnel
, a member of the Air Council
the managing council of the RAF.
He took part in Operation Chastise
, the RAF's famous "Dambusters" mission in 1943. He was described by journalist Sir Max Hastings
as "one of the three great bomber pilots of the war".
, New South Wales
, Martin left Australia for the United Kingdom
in 1939. He intended to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh
, but instead volunteered to join the Royal Air Force
on 28 August 1940.
in October 1941, flying the Handley Page Hampden
. In February 1942, he captained the first all-Australian crewed bombing sortie against Germany. Martin soon acquired a reputation for low-level flying in order to avoid anti-aircraft fire and fighters. After 13 operations, he and his crew joined No. 50 Squadron
. Flying Hampdens, the Avro Manchester
and finally Avro Lancaster
s, they completed their tour in October 1942, Martin being awarded the DFC.
Martin's penchant for low flying contributed to his selection in March 1943 for assignment to the newly formed No. 617 Squadron
under Wing Commander Guy Gibson
.
Martin took part in the famous "Dambusters
" raid on 17 May 1943. He piloted the Lancaster bomber AJ-P "Popsie" (officially known as AJ-P "Peter") in the first formation, which was assigned to attack the Möhne Dam
in Western Germany. Martin's plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire during the attack, but he successfully accomplished the bombing run and returned. He was awarded a DSO for his actions.
Following Gibson's retirement from operations and the immediate loss in action of his successor, Wing Commander George Holden, Martin assumed temporary command of 617 Squadron. Later, under the command of Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire
, Martin participated in various pin-point attacks on targets in France, Italy and Germany, often employing the new 12,000 lb Tallboy bomb
.
In February 1944, during an abortive attack on the Antheor Viaduct in the French Riviera, Martin's Lancaster was hit by ground fire, killing the bomb aimer
Bob Hay, causing Martin to force land his crippled aircraft in Sardinia
. This was Martin's 49th (and last) heavy bomber operation.
Martin was soon back on operations, however, flying Mosquito fighter-bombers with No. 515 Squadron
. By late 1944 Martin had flown another 34 operations, where he claimed 2 aircraft shot down, and 3 destroyed (and 1 damaged) on the ground.
.
He broke the speed record for flying from England
to Cape Town
in a de Havilland Mosquito
, for which he won the Oswald Watt Gold Medal
.
In 1947 he flew the meteorological Mosquito for the first transatlantic jet crossing in support of 54 Squadron's Vampires.
He was appointed to a succession of staff jobs; Air Attache, Tel Aviv (1952), Operation Plans Division (1955), Group Captain - Electronic Warfare, HQ Signals Command (1959) before being appointed ADC
to the Queen in 1964. He then served for three years (1967–1970) as Air Officer Commanding No. 38 Group
. In 1970 he was appointed C in C RAF Germany and finally in 1973 Air Member for Personnel
.
After retiring from the RAF on 31 October 1974 he worked for aircraft manufacturer Hawker Siddeley as an advisor. Sir Harold Martin died at his home in London on 3 November 1988, and is buried at Gunnersbury
Cemetery.
|-
|-
|-
|-
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Harold Brownlow Morgan "Micky" Martin, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO & Bar
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DFC & Two Bars
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(27 February 1918 – 3 November 1988) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n pilot in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
He rose to become a senior officer in the RAF commanding RAF Germany, then appointed as Air Member for Personnel
Air Member for Personnel
The Air Member for Personnel is the senior Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for personnel matters and is a member of the Air Force Board...
, a member of the Air Council
Air Force Board
The Air Force Board of the Defence Council is responsible for the management of the Royal Air Force.Prior to the creation of the current UK Ministry of Defence in 1964, the administration of the RAF and its personnel was undertaken by the Air Force Council, part of the Air Ministry...
the managing council of the RAF.
He took part in Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16–17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis...
, the RAF's famous "Dambusters" mission in 1943. He was described by journalist Sir Max Hastings
Max Hastings
Sir Max Hugh Macdonald Hastings, FRSL is a British journalist, editor, historian and author. He is the son of Macdonald Hastings, the noted British journalist and war correspondent and Anne Scott-James, sometime editor of Harper's Bazaar.-Life and career:Hastings was educated at Charterhouse...
as "one of the three great bomber pilots of the war".
Early life
Born on 27 February 1918 in EdgecliffEdgecliff, New South Wales
Edgecliff is a small suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Edgecliff is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra. The postcode is 2027.Edgecliff is surrounded by...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Martin left Australia for the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1939. He intended to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, but instead volunteered to join the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
on 28 August 1940.
World War II
Martin commenced his operational career with No. 455 Squadron RAAFNo. 455 Squadron RAAF
No. 455 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force torpedo bomber squadron during World War II and became famous as part of the so-called ANZAC Strike Wing.-History:No. 455 Squadron was formed at Williamtown, New South Wales on 23 May 1941...
in October 1941, flying the Handley Page Hampden
Handley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
. In February 1942, he captained the first all-Australian crewed bombing sortie against Germany. Martin soon acquired a reputation for low-level flying in order to avoid anti-aircraft fire and fighters. After 13 operations, he and his crew joined No. 50 Squadron
No. 50 Squadron RAF
No. 50 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed during the First World War as a home defence fighter squadron, and operated as a bomber squadron during the Second World War and the Cold War. It disbanded for the last time in 1984....
. Flying Hampdens, the Avro Manchester
Avro Manchester
|-See also:-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Buttler, Tony. British Secret Projects: Fighters and Bombers 1935–1950. Hickley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 978-1857801798....
and finally Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
s, they completed their tour in October 1942, Martin being awarded the DFC.
Martin's penchant for low flying contributed to his selection in March 1943 for assignment to the newly formed No. 617 Squadron
No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
under Wing Commander Guy Gibson
Guy Gibson
Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, RAF , was the first CO of the Royal Air Force's 617 Squadron, which he led in the "Dam Busters" raid in 1943, resulting in the destruction of two large dams in the Ruhr area...
.
Martin took part in the famous "Dambusters
Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16–17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis...
" raid on 17 May 1943. He piloted the Lancaster bomber AJ-P "Popsie" (officially known as AJ-P "Peter") in the first formation, which was assigned to attack the Möhne Dam
Möhne Reservoir
The Möhne Reservoir is an artificial lake in North Rhine-Westphalia, some 45 km east of Dortmund. The dam was built between 1908 and 1913 to help control floods, regulate water levels on the Ruhr river downstream, and generate hydropower. Today, the lake is also a tourist attraction...
in Western Germany. Martin's plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire during the attack, but he successfully accomplished the bombing run and returned. He was awarded a DSO for his actions.
Following Gibson's retirement from operations and the immediate loss in action of his successor, Wing Commander George Holden, Martin assumed temporary command of 617 Squadron. Later, under the command of Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire
Leonard Cheshire
Group Captain Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire, VC, OM, DSO and Two Bars, DFC was a highly decorated British RAF pilot during the Second World War....
, Martin participated in various pin-point attacks on targets in France, Italy and Germany, often employing the new 12,000 lb Tallboy bomb
Tallboy bomb
The Tallboy or Bomb, Medium Capacity, 12,000 lb, was an earthquake bomb developed by the British aeronautical engineer Barnes Wallis and deployed by the RAF in 1944...
.
In February 1944, during an abortive attack on the Antheor Viaduct in the French Riviera, Martin's Lancaster was hit by ground fire, killing the bomb aimer
Bombardier (air force)
A bombardier , in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force, or a bomb aimer, in the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces, was the crewman of a bomber responsible for assisting the navigator in guiding the plane to a bombing target and releasing the aircraft's bomb...
Bob Hay, causing Martin to force land his crippled aircraft in Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. This was Martin's 49th (and last) heavy bomber operation.
Martin was soon back on operations, however, flying Mosquito fighter-bombers with No. 515 Squadron
No. 515 Squadron RAF
No. 515 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force formed during the Second World War. It stood at the brink of Electronic countermeasures warfare, jamming enemy radar installations from October 1942. This was first done as only such squadron in the RAF, but later in the war together with...
. By late 1944 Martin had flown another 34 operations, where he claimed 2 aircraft shot down, and 3 destroyed (and 1 damaged) on the ground.
After World War II
After the war he attended a course at the RAF Staff College in Haifa and in 1945 joined the Headquarters staff of No. 100 GroupNo. 100 Group RAF
No. 100 Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command.It was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures within one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of...
.
He broke the speed record for flying from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in a de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
, for which he won the Oswald Watt Gold Medal
Oswald Watt Gold Medal
The Oswald Watt Gold Medal is an Australian aviation award named for Oswald Watt a decorated pilot in World War I.It originated in 1921 after the death of Oswald Watt and is awarded for "A most brilliant performance in the air or the most notable contribution to aviation by an Australian or in...
.
In 1947 he flew the meteorological Mosquito for the first transatlantic jet crossing in support of 54 Squadron's Vampires.
He was appointed to a succession of staff jobs; Air Attache, Tel Aviv (1952), Operation Plans Division (1955), Group Captain - Electronic Warfare, HQ Signals Command (1959) before being appointed ADC
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Queen in 1964. He then served for three years (1967–1970) as Air Officer Commanding No. 38 Group
No. 38 Group RAF
No 38 Group RAF was formed on 6 November 1943 from nine squadrons as part of Fighter Command. It was finally disbanded on 1 April 2000.-History:...
. In 1970 he was appointed C in C RAF Germany and finally in 1973 Air Member for Personnel
Air Member for Personnel
The Air Member for Personnel is the senior Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for personnel matters and is a member of the Air Force Board...
.
After retiring from the RAF on 31 October 1974 he worked for aircraft manufacturer Hawker Siddeley as an advisor. Sir Harold Martin died at his home in London on 3 November 1988, and is buried at Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury
Gunnersbury is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, with its northern edge in the London Borough of Ealing, west London. It has an area of less than half a square kilometre and is within the west area of the Chiswick W4 postal district of London....
Cemetery.
External links
- Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Marshal Sir Harold Martin
- Find-A-Grave profile for Harold Brownlow Martin
- The Dambusters: AJ-P "Popsie"
|-
|-
|-
|-