Family account document Photograph Satirical poem postcard Memorial scroll Official correspondence with Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The story is about the contributor's great uncles, John F. T. Martin, who served with the 7th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment (13409), and Jack Fenwick Martin who served with the 1st Battalion Kings Own Lancaster Regiment (27035), plus their older brother George. The account was written by contributor's cousin, John Steel, who has agreed for this account to be digitized. It covers 14 pages including descriptions of the 7th Lincolns at war from July 1915 to March 1916, including a map of Ypres and description and map of the Battle of the Bluff, together with several other digitized items. The father and the uncles all joined up together from a small village in Lincolnshire. The youngest brother was 16 years old and lied about his age when he joined up. John and Jack were both killed in action. John F. Martin died March 24, 1916 22 days after being wounded in the Battle of the Bluff. He lay wounded in the field for four days before being picked up and taken to the hospital at Etaples. He was buried at Etaples Military Cemetery. From the account: a captain in the battalion said after the battle I have always regarded the German bombardment put down on us by the Germans during and after our capture of the Bluff as the heaviest bombardment I have ever experienced. Jack was badly wounded at the Battle of Arras in April 1917. He eventually arrived at Le Treport Military Hospital, where he died on 11 May 1917, aged 19, and buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery Le Treport. Photo in account with caption: George Martin ... late 1917 with one black button in mourning for my brother Jack. Jack survived the war and returned to work on the railways.

Martin Brothers, John, Jack and George
Artillery
Family record of J.F.T. Martin & J.F. Martin
Memoir
Trench Life
Belgium
7th Lincolns at war in Belgium July-Sept 1915
7th Lincolns at war in Belgium Sept-Oct 1915
Graphic description of conditions in trenches nov./dec. 1915
Map
Map of the Battle of Ypres
Ypres
Battle of the Bluff, Belgium March 1916; Plan and attack
Battle of the Bluff
Map of the Battle of the Bluff
Detailed and moving account of events. John was in great pain but still conscious and able to ask the friend to finish him off and tell his mother he had died quick. At this point the other soldier was caught up in the swath of advancing troops and never saw John again ... but lived out the war passing on this detail to the family on his return to Lincolnshire after the war.
Wounding of Private John Martin at Battle of Bluff March 1916
Death of John Martin at Etaples Military Hospital, Northern France, 24 March 2016
Death of Pte John Martin at Etaples Military Hospital, 24 March 2016
Medical
Jack Martin
Arras
Battle of Arras April 1917
Photograph of George Martin, late 1917
Photograph
George Martin
Satirical poem postcard At our camp, sent from a training camp in 1915, vividly depicting the training camp conditions (incessant drill, rats, lack of food, etc.)
Satirical poem postcard At our camp - 1915
Training camp conditions 1915
Memorial scroll for one of the Martin brothers
Official document
Remembrance