CAPT. HENRY LLOYD MARTIN, 7TH BATTN. THE QUEEN'S (ROYAL WEST SURREY REGT.). KILLED IN ACTION IN THE ATTACK ON THE SCHWABEN REDOUBT, THIEPVAL, SEPTEMBER 28TH, 1916. AGED 36. At the School 1893—95 (Parkside). Capt. Henry Lloyd Martin was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. James Martin, of Hunton, Limpsfield, Surrey. He came to Tonbridge from Messrs. J. S. Norman and Frank Ritchie, The Beacon, Sevenoaks, in May, 1893, and leaving young from the Middle Fifth in July, 1895, entered the Stock Exchange in the office of Messrs. Martin & Hilder, and later became a partner in the firm of A. Brampton & Co. He had been in the Cadet Corps here, and on leaving, joined the Artists Rifles for a time. For five or six years previous to the outbreak of war he had devoted the whole of his spare time to work in connection with the Boy Scout movement, becoming Scoutmaster of the Lingfield and Dormansland Troop, and District Scoutmaster of the East Surrey Association. In the Surrey Supplement to the Headquarters' Gazette of the Boy Scouts Association, the County Commissioner, Lieut.-Gen. E. R. Elles, wrote of him:— "A true English gentleman, he had the real Scout spirit, and was one of the best Scoutmasters in Surrey. When he went to France he left behind a letter addressed to one of his Scouts, which was only to be opened in case of his death. . . . The letter breathes such a splendid spirit and such high ideals that I asked the editor of the Gazette to publish it in the H.Q. Qazette, that it may serve as a lesson to all of us, Commissioners, Scoutmasters, and Scouts, of the real Scout spirit and of the aims we must keep in view." The following extracts from this letter were published in the Headquarters' Gazette for November under the heading, " He being dead yet speaketh " :— " I am writing this on the eve of my departure. God only knows whether I am to return or not, but should it be His will that I am not to, I write these few lines to help you boys as far as within me lies the power. . . . "Remember, boys, that each one of you brings an influence on your fellows either for good or bad. You will have many trials, many temptations, but, if, when they come, you think to yourselves, how can I help other people best, or what is the right thing to do, there is little doubt but what you will do right. In all that you do don't trouble about what people think, just do what you believe to be right yourselves. don't be goody-goody and just do what you think looks good because you want people to think you are good, but be just simple, straightforward, honest, kind-hearted, pure-minded boys, and you will turn out to be men well worthy of glorious England and all her noble traditions." The Chief Scout, Lieut.-Gen. Sir R. Baden-Powell, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., in his letter of sympathy, wrote:— " To the Scouts his memory and the message which he left for them will be a real inspiration in carrying on their duty at the present time." An O.T., then the Vicar of Lewisham, who knew him and his work, wrote:— "Though not an athlete, he was the very picture of strong manhood. He found nothing too much to do for the boys, though he never spoilt them. Their homes, their work, their schools, all claimed his keenest interest. It was just typical of him that when on leave he spent at least one whole day in seeing boys and parents. He was so absolutely sincere and with such high ideals that his life told on these boys in a wonderful way." He applied for a commission immediately after the outbreak of war and was gazetted as Temporary Lieutenant in a Service Battalion of the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt., September 23rd, 1914, and was promoted to his Captaincy March 13th, 1915. The Battalion went to the Front in July, 1915, and whilst in France he served as Intelligence Officer, and was placed in command of the snipers, and afterwards had command of B Company. He had twice been slightly wounded during this time, on May 25th by an accidental explosion of bombs behiad the trenches, and then on July 13th in the attack on Trones Wood. In July, 1916, the 18th Division, to which his Battalion belonged, greatly distinguished itself in the Battle of Bazentin Ridges. On the 13th the 7th Queen's were ordered to attack and occupy Trones Wood and, though full success was not obtained at once, a footing in the N.E. corner was held by Capt. Martin's Company until reserves coming up next day carried the position. In the Battle of Thiepval, September 26th to 28th, the Battalion again distinguished itself, and it was whilst leading B Company in their successful attack on the Schwaben Redoubt that Capt. Martin was instantaneously killed by a shell on September 28th, 1916. His Major wrote of him as a man for whom he " had the highest respect and the greatest affection," and added:— " All of us here share your grief, and with you mourn the loss of one who was the soul of honour. Your son was always solicitous for the welfare of others, and his courage and unselfishness were an inspiration to all with whom he was brought in contact. " On the 28th September the Battalion were ordered to attack an exceedingly strong redoubt held by the enemy, and your son's Company was one of the assaulting line. I saw him a few minutes before he moved off, and he was quite cheery and calm. As he neared the enemy a shell pitched almost at his feet, killing him instantly." His C.O.'s letter contained the following :— " Henry was a very fine character, and one of the soundest officers that a CO. has ever been blessed with. He was wonderfully cool and gallant under fire, and I always knew that anything that I asked him to do would be done in the best way possible, and that he would never fail me however tight the corner. His loss is a great blow to us all, especially to B Company, who would have done anything for him. You will, I know, be glad to hear that B Company fought splendidly, and thoroughly avenged their Captain, though, of course, his loss is quite irreparable. We have all lost a great friend and very gallant comrade."