He was also the first officer from the lower deck to become a rear admiral on the active list in modern times and only the second, after Sir Thomas Spence Lyne, to achieve flag rank at all in the same period.

Following his promotion to commander on 30 June 1931,[6] Martin take charge of HMS Voyager as a division leader in the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean.

With promotion to the rank of captain on 30 June 1935,[7] Martin commanded the sloop HMS Folkestone on the China Station.

Two years later, Martin was in command of HMS Broke and the destroyer flotillas of the Reserve Fleet during the Coronation Naval Review (in 1937).

With his promotion to rear admiral on 7 July 1944,[8] Martin became the first officer in 87 years to reach active flag rank having started on the lower decks.