Martin Hunter Hailes was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on 12 Jan 1810. His father was Lt-Col Harris W Hailes of the New Brunswick Fencibles. Martin was posted as a cornet to the 10th BLC on 26 Sep 1826, at the age of 16. He was promoted to lieutenant on 28 Feb 1829, and captain on 4 Nov 1839. He fought in the First Afghan War, in the forcing of the Khyber Pass in 1842, and in the Gwalior campaign, at Maharajpore. The miniature portrait shows him in dress uniform wearing the medals for both campaigns.
In 1846 he was appointed Superintendent of the Remount Depot at Muttra, but in May 1850 he was unwell and given sick leave. Whilst he was going down the Ganges to Calcutta on the steamer ‘Sir Frederick Currie’, he died near Berhampore on 9 Oct 1850. Captain Hailes was married to Catherine Bowen at Mhow on 10 Oct 1840. There is a memorial tablet in St Luke’s Church, Jullundur, inscribed: ‘Sacred to the memory of the late Captain M.H.Hailes 10th Light Cavalry; this tablet is erected by the officers of his regt as a tribute of respect for a highly esteemed and much respected brother officer.’
