Serial Number: NZ413096
RNZAF Trade: Pilot
Date of Enlistment: 25th of May 1941
Rank Achieved: Pilot Officer
Flying Hours: 542 hours
Operational Sorties: 19 Ops

Date of Birth: 15th of February 1922, at Bulls, Manawatu
Personal Details: Martin was the second son of Mr Eric Edwin Lord and Mrs Louisa Katharine Lord, of Putaruru, and grandson of Mr and Mrs R.A. Martin of Roto-o-Rangi. Martin was brought up by his grandparents at Roto-o-Rangi from the age of five years old.

He was educated at Roto-o-Rangi School, and Cambridge District High School, where at the latter he attained a Senior Free Place. He enjoyed playing football and tennis.

On leaving school Martin worked on his grandfather's farm. He was employed there when, on the 23rd of September 1940, he applied to join the RNZAF. His older brother Norman Lord was a Sergeant Pilot in the RAF, and younger brother Clive was in the Navy

Service Details: Martin enlisted at the Initial Training Wing at Levin on the 25th of May 1941. He was then posted to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School at RNZAF Bell Block, New Plymouth, arriving on the 5th of July 1941. As there is a gap considerably more than the obligatory three weeks of ITW, he may have been employed at Levin for a few weeks with an Aerodrome Defence Unit or other such duties.

At 2 EFTS Martin learned to fly in the de Havilland Tiger Moth, and by the 20th of October 1941 he'd achieved the required standard and was onboard the SS Mariposa on his way to Canada. There he was to complete his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Martin arrived in Canada in early November 1941, and on the 10th of that month he began training on Course No. 42 at No. 4 Service Flying Training School, Saskatoon, in Saskatchewan. He passed this course on the 27th of February 1942, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

On the 10th of March 1942 Martin proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, to await embarkation on a troopship for England.

He arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 24th of March 1942. A month later, on the 27th of April, he received a posting to No. 14 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit at Ossington, Nottinghamshire. At this school he honed his skills in advanced flying and night flying.

In early June Martin undertook a course in Beam Approach flying at Scampton, in Lincolnshire, and on the 7th of July 1942 he proceeded to No. 11 Operational Training Unit at Bassingbourn, Herts., where he crewed up and underwent training on the Wellington bomber.

On the 25th of September 1942, Martin was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron at Feltwell in Norfolk. He was appointed the captain of a Vickers Wellington bomber and took part in five operations in this aircraft type, bombing targets at Krefeld, in Germany; Genoa in Italy, sea mining off Brest, and twice mining the sea off La Rochelle, France. His time on Wellingtons continued until Christmas 1942, at which point he and the squadron were converted onto the much larger four-engined Short Stirling bombers, at Newmarket in Suffolk.

From this station, Martin and his Stirling crew made twelve more raids into enemy territory. These targets included Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven, Nurenberg, Cologne, Stuttgart and Essen in Germany; Turin in Italy; Lorient in France three times, and sea-mining off the Terschelling Islands, Holland. Martin was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 21st of January 1943.

On the 17th of March 1943 he was posted to No. 7 (Pathfinder Force ) Squadron who also flew Stirlings from Oakington, Cambridgeshire. He took part in two more raids, one being on St Nazaire in France. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer just before he was posted missing.