James Hamilton Martin was born in 1899 at Malvern. He was educated at Harrow School and was commissioned in the Grenadier Guards in 1918. He first went to sea in the sailing ship Garthpool before joining the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition, 1929-1931 (leader Douglas Mawson), serving as a seaman and later boatswain in RRS Discovery . After the expedition, he went sealing in the White Sea, serving as seaman in the Norwegian sealer Quest . In 1933 he was chosen to lead the Oxford University Expedition to Spitsbergen, but was unable to participate due to frostbite suffered whilst sledging in northern Canada.
Martin joined the British Graham Land Expedition, 1934-1937 (leader John Rymill), serving as first mate in Penola under the command of Robert Edward Dudley Ryder. He participated in several sledging journeys and his skills as ship's rigger proved invaluable. At the beginning of the Second World War he transferred to the Royal Navy as a lieutenant. He died when the Q-ship in which he was serving was sunk in June 1940.
From the guide to the James Martin collection, 1927-1937, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
