A scarce early 1914 Great War casualty group of five awarded to Sergeant H. Martin, 18th Hussars, who was killed in action at Elouges, 24 August 1914

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Transvaal, Orange Free State (5096 Pte. H. Martin. 18th Hussars) suspension claw crudely re-pinned, and loose; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (5096 Pte. H. Martin 18th Hussars.) suspension slack; 1914 Star, with clasp (5096 Sgt H. R. [sic] Martin. 18/Hrs.); British War and Victory Medals (5096 Sjt. H. R. Martin. 18-Hrs.) contact marks to 1st two, nearly very fine, remainder good very fine (5) £400-500

Henry Reginald Martin was the son of H. Martin of 9 Vicars Road, Kentish Town, London. He served with the 18th Hussars during the Second Boer War, and advanced to Sergeant. He served with the Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 15 August 1914. He was killed in action at Elouges, 24 August 1914, and was amongst the Regiments’ first casualties of the war.

On 23 August ‘the Regiment was ordered out about 7pm to hold the line of railway (Valenciennes - Mons) from Thulin Station on the right, where we joined up with the 9th Lancers, to a point opposite the 18th kilometre stone on the Valenciennes Road on the left, where we connected with the right of the 1st Cavalry Brigade....

August 24th - Just before daybreak - it must have been near 5m - we got permission to fall back to a good position on the ridge, which here ran parallel to and S.S.E of the Mons - Valenciennes Road.’ (The Memoirs of the 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Royal Hussars 1906-1922, by Brigadier-General C. Burnett, C.B., C.M.G. refers)

Dismounted, in a sunken road position, the Regiment came under heavy German fire. When ‘it was impossible to hold on any longer... mounted and galloped for safety under heavy fire from a German machine gun which had been brought up to the railway embankment. It was an exciting ride both to participants and to onlookers, who could see the bullets flick up the dust all round... Sergeant Sutherland, Corporal O’Melia and two others were wounded, the two former non-commissioned officers being so badly hit that we were unable to move them.... For a time the enemy did not press on: evidently he did not like the look of our position, much to our chagrin, as we had prepared a hearty reception for him; but he very wisely held on to the line of railway and proceeded with his encircling movement to the west, at the same time shelling our line and the position in general.

About 8am the Regiment, in conjunction with the rest of the Brigade - to which it formed the rearguard - received orders to retire to a second position, which we had already reconnoitred..... We got shelled a good bit during this retirement as we were ascending the ridge all the time; we were also hampered a good deal by Belgian refugees, who, poor people, were at their wit’s ends to know what to do..... We halted in this second position for some time and it must have been nearly 11 o’clock when we received orders to retire through Audregnies on Angre.’ (Ibid)

From midday onwards, all central cohesion was lost and very few orders were received by the Regiment. In scattered positions they had to get along as best they could, operating in a triangle between Elouges Station, Witheries and Audregnies. By 8pm 18th Hussars billeted for the night, ‘our encounters had been with the German IVth Corps, their 7th Division moving towards Elouges and the 8th to Baisieux... Whilst the action lasted we had had a good gruelling, but had given back as much as we received. The tragic story was the loss of a great number of horse and in consequence the loss too of many of their riders, who wandered, many of them, aimlessly about the country until they were either overtaken by the enemy or were able to rejoin us by circuitous routes.

We lost Sergeants Sutherland and Martin, Corporals O’Melia, Richardson and Jackson and four Privates, Ingleden, Milcham, Lauchlan and Hewitt: three of the total number were killed on the spot, and six died of wounds. Fourteen N.C.O’s and men were wounded during the day.

There is no record of the loss of horses, but it was very heavy. No enemy approached near enough whilst we engaged, to capture any of our men, yet at the close of the day we had 58 N.C.Os and men missing who were later verified as prisoners of war.’ (Ibid)

Sergeant Martin was buried in Elouges Communal Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium.