Harold Eycott-Martin facts for kids

Captain Harold Ross Eycott-Martin (born January 2, 1897 – date of death unknown) was a brave British pilot during the First World War. He started his military journey with the Royal Engineers. Later, he joined the Royal Air Force.

While flying for the Royal Air Force, he earned a special award called the Military Cross. This was for his actions in a famous air battle in Italy. In the same battle, another pilot, Alan Jerrard, won the highest award, the Victoria Cross. By the end of the war, Eycott-Martin was known as a flying ace. This means he had shot down eight enemy aircraft. After the war, he faced some difficulties.

Early Life and Beginnings

Harold Ross Eycott-Martin was born in Upper Norwood, a part of London, England. He was the oldest son in his family. His father worked for the government in a place called Bechuanaland. His mother's home in England was in Lindfield, West Sussex.

World War I Adventures

Harold Eycott-Martin joined the army on October 27, 1915. He was just 18 years old. He became a second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers. This happened after he studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.

Later, he joined the Royal Flying Corps, which was the air force at the time. On March 29, 1917, he became a flying officer. In May 1917, he was sent to 41 Squadron in northern France. Soon after joining, he had a small accident. He crashed his plane, a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.8, during takeoff. He was reported to be wounded, likely from this accident. On July 1, 1917, he was promoted to lieutenant in his original unit, the Royal Engineers.

Flying in Italy

On February 7, 1918, Eycott-Martin was moved to 66 Squadron in Italy. He quickly achieved his first two aerial victories. This means he shot down two enemy planes.

On March 30, 1918, he flew with Alan Jerrard and Peter Carpenter. This was a very famous day for Alan Jerrard, who won his Victoria Cross for his bravery. Eycott-Martin also showed great courage that day. He was credited with shooting down two more enemy planes. For his actions in this battle, he received the Military Cross on April 5, 1918.

Eycott-Martin continued to be successful in the air. He achieved his eighth and final victory on June 22, 1918. On July 13, he was temporarily promoted to captain. He likely became a flight commander around this time. This meant he was in charge of a group of planes.

His Military Cross award was officially announced on September 16, 1918. The official report praised his bravery. It said he attacked 19 enemy planes with only two other machines. He destroyed two of the six enemy aircraft shot down that day. He also destroyed another enemy plane on two different occasions.

List of Aerial Victories

Harold Eycott-Martin was a flying ace, meaning he shot down five or more enemy aircraft. Here is a list of his eight victories:

After the War

After World War I, Harold Eycott-Martin stayed in the Royal Air Force for a while. However, he faced some challenges in his career. He was promoted and then went back to his previous rank a few times. In October 1919, he left the Royal Air Force. But he kept his position in the Royal Engineers.

During this time, on April 10, 1919, it was announced that he was going to marry Muriel Horner. They were married on June 12, 1919, in London.

In May 1920, it was reported that he had financial problems. He was living in London and also in Uckfield, Sussex. On May 10, 1920, he traveled to New York City by ship.

On August 5, 1920, Lieutenant Eycott-Martin was removed from the Royal Engineers. This happened because he was absent without permission. After this, not much is known about what happened to him.