Harold Brownlow Morgan Martin (1918 - 1988)

Born 27 Feb 1918 in Edgecliff, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Wendy Laurence (Outhwaite) Martin — married 14 Oct 1944 in Kensington, London, England, United Kingdom

Died 3 Nov 1988 at age 70 in London, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kevin Sands [send private message]

Biography

Harold Martin is Notable.

Air Marshal Sir 'Mick' Martin KCB, DSO & bar, DFC & two bars, AFC was one of the most decorated RAF pilots of the Second World War. As pilot of AJ-P for Popsie, he flew in the famous Dambuster Raid on German dams in 1943. He had a highly successful career rising to the rank of Air Marshal.

Born on 27th February 1918 in Edgecliff, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, New South Wales, Australia, Harold Brownlow Morgan Martin was the son of Joseph Martin and Colina Dixon. ^[1] After completing his formal education, Martin left Australia for the United Kingdom in 1939 with the intention of studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

However, war has a way of altering the best of intentions and with the Second World War raging around him – the Battle of Britain being at its fiercest – he volunteered to join the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 28th August 1940 and graduated as a pilot. ^[2] Martin commenced his operational career with No. 455 Squadron RAAF in October 1941, later captaining the first all-Australian-crewed bombing sortie against Germany. His penchant for low flying contributed to his selection in March 1943 for assignment to the newly formed No. 617 Squadron, taking part in the 'Dambusters' raid on the night of 16-17 May 1943. Martin piloted the Lancaster bomber AJ-P for Popsie (officially known as AJ-P for Peter) in the first formation, which was assigned to attack the Möhne Dam in Western Germany. Despite his plane being hit by anti-aircraft fire during the attack, he successfully accomplished the bombing run and returned to England. He was later transferred to No. 515 Squadron, flying the de Havilland Mosquito on night fighter missions in support of Bomber Command aircraft.

After the war, Martin broke the speed record for flying from London to Cape Town, completing the 10,809 kilometre (6,717 mile) flight in a time of 21 hours, 31 minutes in a Mosquito, for which he was awarded the Oswald Watt Gold Medal and the Britannia Trophy. In 1947 he flew the meteorological Mosquito for the first transatlantic jet crossing.

Martin's illustrious RAF career culminated with the 1973 appointment as Air Member for Personnel, with the rank of Air Marshal. He was described by journalist Sir Max Hastings as "one of the three great bomber pilots of the war".