Places > Loyal Lewis roll of honour, 1914 and after

"LOYAL LEWIS" ROLL OF HONOUR.
A Lewisman's Service in London.
LIEUT. MARTIN has been a prominent fi
circles in London for many years, and
more for recruiting in the Metropolis.
in Stornoway he was a gunner in
the 1st Ross Artillery Volunteers,
and for twenty years (1892—1912)
he acted as recruiting sergeant for
the London Scottish. During the war
period he devoted all his energies to work
in the national service. For three years
(1914-17) he was recruiting officer for his
old regiment, and to him belongs the
honour of raising the 2nd and 3rd Batts.
of the London Scottish as well as the
London Contingent sent to the Highland
Brigade at Bedford.
Lieut. Martin came into prominence
through a dispute with War Office officials
over the raising of extra battalions for
the Territorial Army, which ended in his
complete vindication, the! War Office
being compelled to admit that he was in
the right.
The affair had the publicity of a
discussion in the House of Commons in
April. 1917. In the course of the debate
the Under Secretary for War (Mr Mac-
pherson) paid a very high tribute to
Lieut. Martin, who, he said, was "one of
jure in Highland
no one has done
In the old days
Lieut. WILLIAM A. MARTIN
Loudon Scottish
the best men the country had produced, and in his special
capacity unequalled by any officer in the Army at home.
He had excelled in organisation and did wonders in recruiting,
and his retirement was a great
loss to the Army." To Lieutenant
Martin's determination is very largely
due the fact that the Territorial
Battalions were sent to France many
months before Kitchener's Army was
moved. The Territorial 2nd Battalions
and the drafts sent from them to the 1st
Battalions were months ahead of the New
Army in training and soldierly qualities.
But his war service did not confine
itself to recruiting. He worked out a
system of checking supplies, etc., which
put his Battalion at the top of the list
as far as Quartermaster's work was
concerned. For efficiency and economy
Lieutenant Martin's unit took first place
in the London district, which itself was
first among all the Home units.
Excellent as was his Army work,
however, it was second in importance
to his task at the Ministry of Shipping,
where during 1917-18 he was chief
assistant to Sir Norman Leslie in organis-
ing and directing the convoy system.