Military History

Austin is listed as dying of wounds received in 1914 on the 15th June 1920h October 1918 at the Warneford Hospital in Leamington. A newspaper obituary regarding Austin's death transcribed below.

However Austin's death certificate states that he died of Multiple Abscesses & Septicemia.

Leamington Spa Courier - 18th June 1920
DEATH OF EX-PTE. AUSTIN MARTIN

The death occurred on Tuesday last at the Warneford Hospital, Leamington, of ex-Private Austin Martin, 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment, as a result of wounds received in 1914. The case has been a particularly distressing one, and deceased had been a great sufferer. He was an old soldier with five years service and seven on the Reserve when war broke out, and was immediately called to the colours.

He went to France with his old regiment in August 1914, and went through the Mons retreat uninjured. It was during the Aisne advance that he was wounded, the muscles of the biceps of his right arm being shot away, and he also received a bayonet wound in the leg. He had a long and painful hospital experience with his arm, and underwent several operations in an attempt to save it. The arm was saved, but proved to be absolutely useless and eventually lead to his death.

Private Austin was discharged from the Army hospital in March 1916, and during the ensuing summer was employed as a swimming bath attendant in Kenilworth. Afterwards he obtained light work in Coventry, but broke down utterly in health, and eventually was admitted to the Warneford Hospital in May 1919, where he was detained until his death. He was the subject of eight or nine different operations, but his damaged arm set up general septic poisoning, and owing to this he gradually sank and died.

Private Martin, when well was of a very cheery disposition and much esteemed by all who knew him. Even in his last illness it was difficult to realise the extremity of his condition, and until a month or two ago he maintained his cheery optimism. He leaves a widow and adopted child. The funeral, which will be of a military character, will take place at the parish church tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.

His family suffered terribly in the war, his widowed mother losing also her youngest boy, Sergeant Charles Martin, in October 1918, and a son-in-law who was drowned in the hospital ship Rohilla.