Photo of plaque M189B
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Service number
8811
Unit
Royal Australian Air Force 21 Squadron
Cause of death
Killed in Action
Place of death
Borneo
Date of death
1 July 1945
Age
28
Plaque number
M189B
Co-located plaques
M189 - WO2 Frederick Martin
M189A - SGT John Walrond
Dedicated by
Family on 23 September 2009
More information

Biography presented during plaque dedication:

Flight Sergeant Dennis Lodge Martin of 21 Squadron was born in Perth in October 1916 to Norman and Joan Martin of Cottesloe.

He and his older brother, Warrant Officer (Class 2) Frederick Martin, attended Scotch College, played rugby with Cottesloe Club and were members of the Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club. They had two sisters - Jan and Pat (and Pat married Sergeant John Walrond).

After leaving college, Dennis worked as a shearer and farm hand and was married to Sylvia. He was the only family member with a car, which he called 'Pansey'.

Dennis enlisted in the RAAF in February 1940 and was posted to 21 Squadron at Laverton. The squadron, flying Buffaloes, was located in Malaya until they were evacuated to Australia.

They were then equipped with Vengeance aircraft. In July 1944 the squadron was equipped with Liberator heavy bombers to carry out raids on Japanese convoys and reconnaissance duties.

Flight Sergeant Dennis Lodge Martin, service number 8811 of 21 Squadron, was killed in action when Liberator number A72-61, on which he was the flight engineer, was shot down near Balikpapan, Borneo on 1 July 1945. He was 28 years of age.

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