The Association has learned of the death of Lt Cdr Frederick Stanley Martin MBE RN on 4 October 2015 aged 95.
From son Tim
Freddie Martin served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1939 to 1969. Starting as a pilot, in 1941 he was transferred to Observer and joined 42 Course, the first to be trained in Trinidad. He joined 810 SWORDFISH Squadron operating from ARK ROYAL in the Mediterranean and later from FURIOUS and ILLUSTRIOUS in the Caribbean, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
After a short spell in BARRACUDAS, he was lent to the United States 8th Army Air Corps flying initially in LIBERATORS and FORTRESSES then later in MARAUDERS.
Freddie enjoys telling the story of being summoned by the Commanding General to be told that the 8th planned to bomb the TIRPITZ off Norway. The General was concerned that his Mid-West farm boys might unload their bombs on the British Home Fleet by mistake. When told that the raid was to be at 25,000 feet or above, Freddie hastenend to point out that he had never been above 2,500 feet in his Swordfish. The General however was unmoved: “Son, you will be in the lead aircraft, and if you say “bomb” then they all go down. Should we inadvertently send the KGV to the bottom, your involvement will change what would be an international incident into a national disaster which might just save my bacon”. Fortunately for Freddie, the TIRPITZ did not emerge from her Norwegian fiord so the mission did not proceed. Over the next few months raids were made on French Channel ports and coastal shipping.
Returning to the FAA, the war was concluded in 850 (as acting CO) and 856 AVENGER squadrons in HMS EMPRESS, employed escorting convoys to Russia and minelaying in the fiords en route, plus never-ending ASW patrols.
After the war, Freddie was with the Service Trials Unit at Ford prior to returning to the front line as Senior Observer of 827 Squadron in TRIUMPH back in the Med. Subsequently he was CGI at the Operational Flying School at Lossiemouth, Ops Officer in BULWARK and in general service and staff posts, as SNO at RAF BRAMPTON 9JARIC) and as Staff Officer Plans to FONAC. It was during the latter that he was awarded the MBE for his never waning diligence and application.
After leaving the uniformed service, he joined the Directorate of Naval Security as an Investigating Officer with a world-wide brief, serving another 15 years before enforced retirement at age 65.
He died on 4 October 2015 aged 95 leaving his wife of 60 years, Margo, daughter Jacqueline and son Captain Tim Martin OBE RN.
Lt-Cdr Freddie Martin – obituary
British officer who liaised with American forces on a proposed Flying Fortress attack on Tirpitz
Lt Cdr Freddie Martin, who has died aged 95, was liaison officer with the United States 8th Air Corps and helped in 1943 to plan the US raid on the German battleship Tirpitz, which was holed up in the Norwegian fjords.
The Americans were keen to have the opportunity to destroy such an important target, and were planning a mass attack in daylight using Flying Fortresses. Martin’s American general was concerned, however, that the Mid-West farm boys who made up his crews would unload their bombs on the British Home Fleet by mistake, and ordered Martin to fly in the first aircraft.
When Martin, a mere sub-lieutenant, learnt that the raid was to take place at 25,000ft, he hastened to point out that in the Fleet Air Arm he had rarely flown over 2,500ft, and he was sent for by the general. He told him: “Son, you will be in the lead aircraft, and if you say ‘bomb’ then they will all go down. Should we inadvertently send the King George V [a British battleship] to the bottom, your involvement will change what would be an international incident into a national disaster, which might just save my bacon.”
Martin thought it fortunate that the raid never took place.
Frederick Stanley Martin was born in Putney on October 16 1919. He attended Elliott Central School and volunteered for the Fleet Air Arm in 1939.
Martin joined HMS St Vincent, Gosport, as a naval airman 2nd Class and trained as an observer in Trinidad. From 1941 to 1943 he flew as a navigator in Swordfish torpedo-bombers of 801 Naval Air Squadron from the carriers Ark Royal, Furious, and Illustrious. In 1942 he took part in Operation Ironclad, the British capture of Madagascar from the Vichy French. When his squadron was re-equipped with the more modern Fairey Barracuda dive-bomber, Martin was seconded to the USAAF.
In 1943-44 Martin flew with 850 and 856 Naval Air Squadrons of Grumman Avenger fighter bombers from the escort carrier Empress on Arctic convoys to Russia. “We dropped mines in a Norwegian fjord en route,” he recalled, “and flew never-ending antisubmarine patrols.”
Post-war Martin’s experience was put to use on a trials unit, as senior observer of 827 Firefly squadron, and chief ground instructor at the Royal Naval Air Station, Lossiemouth. In 1952 he served at sea in the frigate Loch More to gain his bridge watch-keeping certificate, and thereafter he served as operations officer in the carriers Illustrious and Bulwark and in shore appointments. In 1958-59 Martin was staff officer plans, working for the notoriously hard taskmaster Rear-Admiral “Crap” Miers VC, who was Flag Officer Middle East.
Martin was appointed MBE in 1964. On retirement he was briefly administrator of the Students’ Union at Portsmouth Polytechnic – reporting to a 20-year old union president – before working for the Directorate of Naval Security as a field investigating officer (1969-1984).
Martin flew in 43 different types of aircraft, and having ditched into the sea twice was a member of the Goldfish Club: he was quick to point out that he was never the pilot. He flew once more in a Swordfish to mark his seventieth birthday.
Martin married Margo Thomas in 1956. She survives him with a daughter and a son.
Lt Cdr Freddie Martin, born October 16 1919, died October 4 2015