Almanac Local History – Pine Ridge Cemetery Coburg: Peter James Martin (1875-1918) – Collingwood FC

 

Following on from Allan Barden’s excellent article in which he reflects on the cultural and historical significance of cemeteries generally, and discusses what they mean to us, and tell us, he presents the lives of a number of Australian sportsmen buried in the  Pine Ridge Cemetery Coburg. Former Collingwood footballer Peter James Martin is amongst those buried there.

 

Allan Barden acknowledges the work of Kelly Morgan who provided the research and wrote the notes about the many sportsmen buried in the cemetery presented by him in his article.

 

 

 

 

 

PETER JAMES MARTIN

 

1875-1918

 

Collingwood wing man, Garrison Royal Artillery Team and ANZAC

(Notes researched and written by Kelly Morgan)

 

Peter James Martin was born on July 24, 1875, in Geelong.

 

Known as a Collingwood player, his time on the field began as a junior for Wellington. He caught the attention of Collingwood Football Club in 1898 when he won a goal-kicking contest. Martin continued to play well and was rewarded with an offer to join the hopefuls at Victoria Park for practice matches before the 1901 season. During training, he won a play-off by kicking three goals from three attempts, which beat 14 competitors. Collingwood were so impressed he went straight into the senior team for the opening round against Essendon at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground.

 

Playing on the wing, he was described as 5’5? with the speed of a whippet. That made him a difficult opponent outside, which is where he spent almost all his time in senior football. He also had a fine long kick, had good evasive skills and handled the ball smoothly. Unfortunately, in 1902 he only played one more senior game, likely a result from an earlier injury. He was lucky enough to join his teammates on the historic 1902 tour of Tasmania though.

 

Peter was a well respected player for the Collingwood Football Club, despite playing only 15 games.

 

After his time with Collingwood, Martin joined North Melbourne and played there for three years. He ended his time at Arden Street with a premiership medal in 1906. Following this stint, he played for the Australian Royal Garrison Artillery Football Team as the vice-captain for four seasons.

 

Like many sportsmen of his time, Martin’s promising football ability was interrupted by his service in World War I. Everything Peter seemed to do was fast-paced and short-lived. Enlisting in August of 1915 at age 40 – significantly older than most – he embarked for the Western Front two months later. Martin served as a Private with the 6th Battalion of the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF). During the war, Martin was struck in the head by a German bullet at Pozières, France, on December 8, 1916. The injuries he sustained were severe, fracturing his skull and causing the loss of his right eye. However, he wasn’t listed as a casualty until January 1917. It seemed like good things were awaiting, Martin was discharged from the army on January 26, 1917 and he was going to return home to hopefully recover. He arrived back in Australia in April, just as the footy season was about to kick off, despite his injuries he was reportedly as cheerful as ever.

 

Peter seemed to have a determination to get on with it and enjoy the life and family he had returned to after such horrific scenes at war. Sadly, his problems continued as his wounds never properly healed. Consequently, he succumbed to cerebral abscesses at the Caulfield Military Hospital on March 25, 1918.

 

The sympathies from his fellow employees at the West Melbourne Gas Works acknowledged his service and the wounds he suffered in action and the all round good fella Peter was.

 

He received a full military burial with honours.

 

Despite his sacrifice, Peter was only very recently named on the Australian War Memorial’s roll. This is because, at the time of his death, it was more than 12 months and a day since he was wounded in action. Additionally, by the time of his death, he had been discharged from the army and was not officially listed as ‘Died of Wounds’ on any casualty list.

 

Over time Peter seemed to be forgotten, that was until 2002, when author Jim Main, who wrote a book called Fallen about footballers who died at war, told Collingwood that he had found Peter’s unmarked grave at Coburg’s cemetery. The club arranged to have a memorial headstone placed there.

 

In 2002 Martin’s great-great-grandson had the honour of tossing the coin at the Anzac Day game, paying tribute to his relative’s legacy and service to country. 100 years on from when Peter Martin last wore his black and white guernsey.

 

 

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