Living in Newick
Leading Airman George Harry Martin, 772 Squadron, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm was born in on 24 October 1925 and baptised in Newick. The son of Adela and George S Martin, a dairy farmer at Warningore Farmhouse, East Chiltington, East Sussex
Leading Airman George Harry Martin, lived at 3 Cricketfield, Newick at the time of his death.
Newick
772 Naval Air Squadron
772 Naval Air Squadron was formed on 28 September 1939, at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), Hampshire, as a Fleet Requirements Unit, out of 'Y' Flight of 771 Naval Air Squadron. It initially operated four floatplane variants of the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber, out of RNAS Portland (HMS Osprey), Dorset, mainly in support of target towing for naval gunnery purposes. However, with the attack and sinking of the merchant ship converted to anti-aircraft ship HMS Foylebank, in Portland harbour, in July 1940, naval activity in the area was reduced. The same month then saw the squadron move north to Scotland and was based at RNAS Campbeltown in Argyll and then on 15 June 1941 it relocated the short distance to RNAS Machrihanish (HMS Landrail).
The Fairey Swordfish were replaced by Blackburn Roc, a naval turret fighter aircraft. Tasks included radar calibration and height finding exercises, along with target-towing and photography. The squadron added Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, to its strength, undertaking search and rescue operations.
During 1942, Fairey Fulmar, a carrier-based reconnaissance and fighter aircraft, Vought Chesapeake, an American carrier-based dive bomber and Boulton Paul Defiant were received and the Fairey Swordfish returned to the Squadron. 1943 saw the addition of Miles Martinet, a dedicated target tug aircraft and in 1944 the squadron received both Bristol Blenheim, a twin-engined light bomber, and Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft. On 27 May 1944, the squadron undertook a dummy attack on the fleet as part of an exercise in preparation for the Normandy landings.
HMS Landrail
Leading Airman George Harry Martin was posted to Fleet Air Arm (FAA) 772 Squadron at HMS Landrail at RNAS Machrihanish, near Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula.
RNAS Machrihanish was established as a naval air station in 1916, operating maritime patrol aircraft and airships until 1918. A new airfield opened on 15 June 1941 as Strabane Naval Air Station, and named HMS Landrail, becoming RNAS Machrihanish later in the month and operated until 1946.
Leading Airman George Harry Martin's death
On 17 January 1944, George was flying as a telegraphist, air gunner 3rd class in a Miles Martinet, a target tug aircraft. The Martinet was towing a drogue when the aircraft crashed into the sea near the Iron Rock Ledges buoy just off the coast of Corriecravie on the Isle of Arran.
The aircraft was seen by the crew of the escort-carrier HMS Activity to make a turn at the end of its run and then dive vertically into the sea. The cause of the crash appears to be that the tow-line fouled the tail-plane of the aircraft, causing an irrecoverable stall.
The crew perished and lost at sea.
Leading Airman George Harry Martin Commermoration
George Martin was remembered on the Royal Navy memorial bay 5, panel 2 at Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire.
