A Family Group of Medals to the Martin Family from Hastings Comprising a Great War 1917 Palestine Campaign Distinguished Service Medal Group of Four to the Royal Navy Reserve and a Related Queens South Africa Medal to a Private in the Sussex Regiment Who Died of Disease in March 1901, Queens South Africa medal with 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and South Africa 1901, impressed naming ‘7066 PTE J MARTIN 1: R: SUSSEX REGT.’ Distinguished Service medal GV, ‘S.D.2854 W. MARTIN 2ND HD R.N.R. H.M.S. ‘GWENLLIAN’ MILITARY OPS PALESTINE 1917′ naming tightly packed onto the rim of the medal filling the full circumference, 1914-15 Star medal, ‘SD 2854 W. MARTIN D.H. R.N.R.’, British War and Victory medals ‘2854 S.D. W. MARTIN 2 D.H. R.N.R.’istinguished Service medal, London Gazette 20th February 1919 – ‘The following awards have been approved for services in Palestine operations October to November 1917’. The recommendation for this award is found in ADM137/872/306, HMT Gwenllian, Military Operations Palestine October and November 1917 – this man is brought to their Lordship’s notice.illiam Martin was born in Hastings on 25th September 1894. By 1911 he was a Sea Apprentice with the Marine Society being based on T.S. Warspite at Greenhithe, Kent. He enrolled for the Royal Naval Reserve on 11th October 1915, he served on the Trawler Gwenllian operating out of Port Said from 30th September 1917 through to 2nd April 1918 and was demobilised in March 1919.ames Martin is believed to be the older brother of William and her served in South Africa with 1st Volunteer Company Royal Sussex Regiment. He is confirmed on the medal rolls for the 3 clasps present on this medal and is also entitled to the Belmont clasp. He died of enteric fever at Bloemfontein on 19th March 1901.