OBITUARY

Grey River Argus, 14 April 1916, Page 4

OBITUARY

LIEUT. H. R. MARTINEAUX, V.C

Lieutenant H. R. Martineaux, V.C., a short but sturdily-built officer with only one arm, who atracted much attention 1 Smonths ago when the Otago Contingent of the Main Expeditionary Force was being mobilised at Tahuna Park, died in Dunedin hospital recently. Lieutenant Martineaux Had no relatives in the Dominion, 'and, apart from the tact that it was stated that he was an ex-Clifton {College (England) boy, very little is known of his civil life. As regards military service, however, he wore a length of ribbons of which anj r soldier might well have been proud. He originally served in a Hussar regiment at' Home, but bis first experiences under fire were*, gained in the Matabele campaign in iSq6. When the Boer war broke out he joined a Protectorate regiment,, and very eiuickly succeeded in winnig the coveted Maltese Cross by an act of gallantly, which is viydly described by Philip Wilkinson in his "History of the Victoria Cross," It was Sir Alexander Godley (then a major doin special work in a Protectorate regiment) who recommended Sergeant Martineaux for the distinction. Altogether he saw a great deal of service in the South African campaign, even to being wounded a fourth time. A.gain, in igo6. he saw service in the I Natal Native Rebellion. Twelve ! years' service with the African Boating Company, in charge of military transport work, made him peculiarly fited for the post of transport officer, and it was in such a. capacity that he left New Zealand with the Otago Infantry Battalon. He had been travelling through New ealand ,and happened to be at Waiholawhen the war broke out, and his offer to serve was j accepted without much hesitation. Cuj riously enough, it is believed that Lieutenant Martineaux did not have the good fortune to place foot on Anzac. As transport officer he accompanied the ships up the bay on the memorable morning of April 25th, but it was found impossible to land and use many horses or any quantity of transport so that the Annabel's", the transport on which Lieutenant Martineaux was stationed ,was ordered, along with others, up the Gulf of Saros, where the Fleet carried out a demonstration. The transports later on returned to the base at Alexandria, an^ up till the time of his being invalided back on the hospital ship Maheno, Lieutenant Martineaux was engaged in transport work in Egypt.