He was born in Longford, Ireland to Rev William and Martha Martin. His year of birth is recorded as 1915 and 1916 in different sources.
He qualified as a Veterinary surgeon in 1938, in Dublin and worked as a Vet until his death in 1976.
He married Doris Noelle Ruskell in Carlow, Ireland 27 March 1940. He later married Brenda in Jersey in 1967.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crewkerne Patrol | Patrol Leader | 02 Jul 1940 | 01 Apr 1942 |
| Somerset Group 4 - Yeovil | Group Commander | 01 Apr 1942 | 01 Aug 1944 |
Methodist College, Belfast
University – Veterinary collage of Ireland.
Veterinary Surgeon
Royal Army veterinary corps (RAVC).
1 Jan 1945 Made Lieutenant.
Reported to Number 1 Reserve Veterinary Hospital, Doncaster, 1st Jan 1945 on appointment to a Commission in the RAVC from the Army officers Emergency Reserve.
27 Feb 45 - Disembarked UK. Attached to 812 Base Remount depot, Italy.
26 Feb 46 - Returned to UK. Attached to Number 1 Reserve Veterinary Hospital, Melton Mowbray, UK.
Released from Army 13th April 1946. He was awarded the - War Medal 1939 - 45.
In Auxiliary Units he was promoted to Second Lieutenant 1st April 1942 and to Lieutenant 1 March 1943. He has no Home Guard record so he was recruited directly into Auxiliary Units.
He left and joined HM Forces 1st August 1944. He volunteered to join the veterinary corps in Italy in 1944. He had to leave the Veterinary practice in Crewkerne to join the Veterinary corps near Monte Casino where he looked after the war horses, mules and donkeys. After a year in Italy his boss, Mr. Wilkinson, requested that Bram should return as he could not work in the practice on his own. Doris and his daughter, Wendy, met Bram at Crewkerne train station and she ran all the way down the platform into his outstretched arms.
His daughter Wendy recalled; "My mother, Doris Noelle Ruskell was from County Carlow, Pop came from County Longford. They met in Dublin when Pop was studying at the Veterinary College and my mother was a trainee nurse at the Adelaide Hospital. They married and moved to Somerset as Pop was offered a veterinary job in Crewkerne, Wilkinson and Son, in 1940, I was born in 1942. They lived in Tewkesbury House, Merriott. And then after the war they moved to Coolbawn, Bay Hill, Ilminster.
Meanwhile my mother and I lived in our home in Merriott and because she had a spare bedroom, she took in two evacuees from London. They were small boys aged about 6 years. They were little rascals. When the German planes flew over Somerset on their way to bomb Exeter we had to crouch under the stairs."
In the 1941 to 50 phone books, a W B Martin, is listed at Tewkesbury House, Merriott. In 1950 his work addresses are W B Martin MRCVS Vet Srgn. Somerset House, Chard and Bay Hill at Ilminster.
In 1970 he is listed twice at Springfield, Hinton St George, nr Crewkerne. One must be his private number and the other his work number.
TNA ref WO199/3390 & WO199/3391
Hancock data held at B.R.A
1939 Register
Bath Papers from John Pidgeon
Army service record from the MOD
Weekly Irish Times March 1940, Western Gazette 27 August 1976
Kelly's Directories.
Ancestry.co.uk
Family - Wendy Powell Coughlan, Angela Silvertop, Lulu Laidlaw - Smith via Chris Perry