Obituary for Martin John Lewis

Captain Martin John Lewis passed away on the 23rd August 2018 after a brave struggle with cancer at his home at Mission Bay, New Zealand.

Martin started the military part of a two part career by joining the former Devonshire Regiment as a national serviceman aged 19. After basic training he went for officer training at Eaton Hall and was commissioned in May 1958 into the 1st Battalion The Devon and Dorset Regiment. His first overseas posting was to Cyprus as a platoon commander in C Company. His platoon was involved in a number of internal security operations as it was the height of the emergency on the island. While in Cyprus Martin volunteered to lead an expedition to Libya to confirm the location of World War 2 minefields. This was a task that involved considerable desert travel in extreme heat – but it was all part of the adventurous life that Martin relished.

At the end of his National Service Martin was granted a regular commission in the 1st / 3rd East Anglian Regiment then in Malaya, and he joined them at Malacca as a platoon commander in D Company. He much enjoyed life in Malaya including jungle patrols.

His next posting was as assistant adjutant at the Regimental Depot at Bury St Edmunds. After two years, which included getting married to Jenny, he secured a secondment to the Singapore Guard Regiment and was delighted to be back in the Far East. The Guard Regiment was an all Malay infantry battalion whose primary role was internal security in Singapore. Martin’s initial appoinment was as a training officer. However, his company was sent to Kuching, Sarawak, to guard the airport, a vulnerable target during the confrontation with Indonesia. Martin’s job as company intelligence officer involved frequent river patrols in high powered longboats. His most unexpected experience was being required to learn the rudiments of piloting an RAF helicopter in case the pilot was hit while Martin was riding shotgun.

Martin left Singapore in August 1965 to join the 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in the UK and he went with it to West Berlin in October. During this time he had personal contact with the Nazi war criminals Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess, Albert Speer and the Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Schirach who were prisoners in Spandau jail.

From West Berlin he went with the battalion to Aden in October 1966, then a hotbed of insurgency in the run up to independence. As a captain he was initially a company second in command but was later attached to the Police HQ in Ma’ala as a liaison officer, but with the five days of increased violence during the visit of a UN Mission he was recalled to his company.

On return from Aden the battalion was based at Tidworth and Martin, who had spent most of his service overseas, became restless when confronted with the prospect of a staff job in the UK or BAOR. He and I were of the same opinion on this, and when an advertisement appeared for administrative officers in the Western Pacific High Commission (responsible for the British colonial territories of the Solomon Islands, the Gilberts and Ellice Islands and the New Hebrides} we both successfully applied. We both left the Army and were posted to the Solomon Islands. During the following six years Martin served there as a district officer and district commissioner before transferring to the Hong Kong Civil Service.

Over the next twenty years his ability, determination and sheer hard work saw Martin rise from a very junior Assistant Secretary to a senior Deputy Secretary with responsibility for the entire Royal Hong Kong Police. During this time he married his second wife Jane Chong and indulged his lifelong passion of cricket and becoming a key member of the HKCC.

On retirement in May 1994 Martin settled in New Zealand where he spent his time enjoying relaxing and happy life with Jane and his children – Debbie and Giles from his first marriage, and Daniel, William and Kimberley.

Martin led a fulfilling and adventurous life. He displayed the determination, ability and leadership to succeed in both his military and civil careers and at the same time being devoted to, and immensely proud of, his family. He will greatly missed by them.

MA