Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class
Martin Robert
BOND
Royal Navy
28
Martin Bond was born in Norwich in Norfolk on 30 May 1889, the fourth of the seven sons of George Bond (a farmer) of Burlingham St Andrew, Norfolk and Mary Ann Elizabeth Bond (née Coppin) of Salthouse, Norwich. There were also two daughters. After leaving school Martin Bond trained as, and qualified as a fitter and turner and, in the 1911 Census he was noted as an engineer in an iron foundry.
He joined the Royal Navy as a ‘Direct Entry’ Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class at HMS VICTORY on 26 June 1912. Following training at HMS FISGARD (the Artificers Training School) at Portsmouth he joined the battleship HMS BULWARK on 6 May 1913 and served in that ship until 22 May 1914. Following further service and training in HMS FISGARD, HMS DRAKE and HMS VICTORY Martin Bond was drafted to the Torpedo Gun Boat HMS DRYAD (serving as a minesweeper) on 17 April 1915.
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Martin Bond joined submarines at HMS DOLPHIN on 4 August 1917 and, after further training, he was drafted to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS ADAMANT in the Mediterranean on 15 November 1917 and joined the E Class submarine HMS E14. E14 was sunk in the Dardanelles on 22 January 1918. The submarine had been sent from Corfu into the Dardanelles to locate and torpedo the German battleship Goeben which had run aground at NAGARA. However, the Goeben had been re-floated and towed away by time E14 reached the area. E14 started the return to Corfu but encountered a Turkish ship and fired a torpedo which appears to have exploded prematurely damaging E14. The Commanding Officer tried to make an escape on the surface after being damaged but came under heavy fire from shore batteries. He then ran the submarine aground in an attempt to let his crew escape. Unfortunately twenty-three of the crew – including Martin Bond – were killed and the nine who survived were taken as Prisoners of War.
Martin Bond is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 29.
One Response
This is my Great Great Uncle. I believe the photo is the only one my Dad has of Martin Robert Bond in his Naval uniform. He spent most of WW1 in training. E14 was his first posting and unfortunately KIA in 1918 maybe unable to escape the sinking submarine…. RIP
Note: I recently visited a WW1 memorial in his home village in Norfolk which has his name engraved on it.