Oliver Milton Martin (1893-1957) was a member of the Kanien'kehá:ka nation from the Six Nations Grand River Reserve, Martin served in the First and Second World Wars, gaining the rank of brigadier and was the highest ranking First Nations person of the Second World War. After leaving the military he was a school teacher, principal and provincial magistrate. Martin was the first Indigenous person to be appointed a provincial magistrate in Ontario. The

Royal Canadian Legion The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian veterans' organization founded in 1925. Members include people who served in the military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial or municipal police, Royal Canadian Air, Army and Sea Cade ...

Branch #345 in Toronto is named in his honour.

Personal life

Martin was born on April 9, 1893, in Ohsweken,

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. Martin was the son of Robert Martin and Lucinda Lucy Miller. He grew up on the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve. He had four sisters and two brothers. Martin married Jean "Lillian" Bunt In 1936. Bunt was also a teacher at the Secord School, in East York, Ontario.

Military career

Martin joined

The Haldimand Rifles The Haldimand Rifles was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). In 1936, the regiment was Amalgamated with The Dufferin Rifles of Canada to form The Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles of ...

militia regiment in 1909 in the role of bugler. In 1915 he left his teaching post to enlist full-time in the regular force. Two brothers also volunteered. He enlisted with the 114th Overseas Battalion at Cayuga, Ontario, in February 1916. Martin eventually served as a company officer with the 114th and the 107th Battalions. As a lieutenant, he spent seven months in France and Belgium, where he survived a gas attack. In 1917, he qualified as an observer with the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

and, the following year, he earned his pilot's wings. During the Second World War he was responsible for training hundreds of men in Canada. Shortly after 1939 Martin was promoted quickly through the officer ranks from colonel to brigadier. He had the command of several forces. From 1940 to 1941 he commanded the

13th Canadian Infantry Brigade The 13th Canadian Infantry Brigade was a formation of the Canadian Army that served in both World Wars. During World War I, the brigade formed part of the 5th Canadian Division. However, the 13th Brigade never saw combat as the brigade along wi ...

at Niagara-on-the-Lake. He later (1941-1942) had charge of the 14th Infantry Brigade in Nanaimo, British Columbia and the 16th Infantry Brigade in Prince George, British Columbia (1942-1943). Martin retired from active service in October 1944.

Civilian life

Martin trained as a teacher at Normal School. During the period between the First and Second World Wars Martin returned to teaching. He taught at the Secord School in

East York East York is a district and former municipality within Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From 1967 to 1998, it was officially the Borough of East York, a borough within the upper-tier municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. The borough was dissolved ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

and was later the

school principal A headmaster/headmistress, head teacher, head, school administrator, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the teacher, staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. Role ...

of Danforth Park School, also in East York.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Oliver Milton 1893 births Canadian Indigenous military personnel Canadian Mohawk people 1957 deaths Canadian schoolteachers Six Nations of the Grand River people Canadian Militia officers Canadian Army officers Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Royal Flying Corps officers Canadian Army personnel of World War II Canadian military personnel from Ontario