Edwin Gerald Martin was born in Ballarat, Victoria on 22 August 1897, the second child and elder son of Gerald David and Bertha (Bridget) Martin nee Coleman and a grandson of Bridget Carrucan.
On the 17th August, 1916, he enlisted as a private in the Australian Imperial Forces in Melbourne, at the age of 18 years 11 months and fought in a number of fronts including Passchendaele.
On 1st June 1920 Ted enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy, exactly one year after he had been discharged from the AIF.
In 1927 Ted married Lillian (Nig) Edith Martin (no blood relation) at St Peter's Church, Eastern Hill, Melbourne.
From 1st September 1939 to 27th December 1941 he was on the Australia, serving through the Battle of Britain. On 26th March 1941 he was mentioned in dispatches for his "skill, resource and devotion to duty". This was followed in his award, on 2nd July 1941, of the British Empire Medal.