Irvine, James Robert Gordon
3825 Private James Robert Irvine MM - 52nd Battalion AIF
James Robert Gordon Irvine was born in Fremantle WA on the 16th June 1897 to James and Margaret Irvine. He was one of seven siblings born into the family, with, Pearl 1893, Jessie 1895, Doris 1898, Scott 1903, Ursula 1905 and Ivy 1906.
The family lived at 34 Grey Street Fremantle (later renumbered 8 Grey) till the early 1900's when they moved to Goldsworthy Road Claremont. James finished his education in Claremont and during this time served in the 87A cadets of the Citizen Military Forces.
After leaving school James took up employment as an office clerk.
On the 28th August 1915 James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical officer recording James's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;
Weight - 135lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-36 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark Brown.
After his successful enlistment, James was sent to No.28 Depot at Blackboy Hill Camp where he underwent basic infantry training for a few weeks. On the 12th November 1915 James was transferred into the 12th Reinforcements to the 12th Battalion AIF. He then trained with this group in WA for the next month.
On the 22nd December 1915 James and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship Ajana. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in January 1916.
By the time he had arrived in Egypt, the 12th battalion had already been filled to it's full complement of numbers. James was therefore kept in the reinforcement camp. On the 3rd March 1916 he was transferred to a new unit, the 52nd Battalion. The 52nd Battalion was part of the 13th Brigade, 4th Division AIF.
For the next three months, James and the 52nd Battalion trained in the Egyptian desert. He had been assigned a role as a Signaller within the 52nd battalion.
On the 5th June 1916 James and his unit left Egypt aboard a transport ship bound for France. After arriving at Marseilles on the 12th June 1916, they were entrained north for the Armentieres sector.
The 52nd Battalion had their first taste of the Western Front near Fleurbaix. They were then relieved by the 5th Division AIF and journeyed to the Somme front where they would soon be in action. The 1st Australian Division captured the village of Pozieres on July 22nd and then had to endure a devastating German bombardment for almost a week. They were then relieved by the 2nd Australian Division who furthered the gains though at a horrendous cost of casualties. The 2nd Division was then relieved by the 4th Division. The 4th and 12th Brigades of the 4th Division were involved at Pozieres from early August 1916 though the 52nd Battalion and 13th Brigade were initially kept in Reserve.
Mouquet Farm was proving a tough obstacle to overcome and on the 3rd September 1916 the 52nd Battalion were involved in another assault to capture it. Initially good progress was made but the Germans were again able to successfully defend the Farm. James came through his time here unscathed.
After this action the Australians were transferred to the Ypres front in Belgium, which was at this time in 1916 a quieter part of the front.
By November 1916 the 52nd Battalion were back on the Somme front as they would be spending the 1916/17 French winter in the muddy shell hole strewn battlefield. This winter was the coldest in decades and many men were evacuated ill from the freezing conditions though James’s health appeared not to be affected.
In late February 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, though they were pressed all the way by Australian and British units and several sharp fights occurred around the Hindenburg Line outpost villages near Bapaume; the 52nd Battalion being involved in actions near Noreuil in early April 1917. John came through this action unscathed and on April 11th the 52nd were in reserve when the 4th & 12 Brigades of the 4th Division attacked Bullecourt. Unfortunately the assault was a failure and the 52nd Battalion helped to collect casualties.
There was to be no rest for the 4th Division, as in May the 1st, 2nd & 5th Divisions were withdrawn for a three month rest period out of the line. The 4th Division however were transferred to join the 3rd Australian Division in southern Belgium where they would be involved in the Battle of Messines. Mines had been placed under the German lines and on June 7th 1917 they were detonated, which devastated the German front line positions. While the 3rd Australian, New Zealand and British divisions helped take the initial objectives, the 4th Australian Division were tasked with further objectives which had been untouched by the mine blasts, and consequently tougher resistance was faced. Despite some trouble in linking up with flanking units, the 52nd took their objectives and continued to hold the line on the Messines front.
On the 15th July 1917, as part of his continued signalling work, James was sent to the 5th Army Power Buzzer School. He spent a week there and appears to have passed the course successfully.
The 52nd Battalion remained at the Messines front till the end of August 1917. In September they were then transferred to the Ypres front in Belgium to take part in the current offensive operations taking place there.
On September 25th 1917 the 52nd Battalion were in action around Polygon Wood and James was wounded when shrapnel hit him in the arm. He was evacuated to the 6th Field Ambulance and after being treated there was sent to the 56th General Hospital in Etaples. James remained there until the 16th October 1917. He was then sent to a convalescent depot for a few days but returned to his unit on the 26th October 1917. James then saw out the next few weeks in the Passchendaele Sector.
In December 1917 the 4th Australian Division were shifted to Peronne in France but returned to Belgium in January 1918. They would hold the line south east of Ypres near Hollebeke. The 52nd Battalion would be in this sector through to March 1918.
On the 18th January 1918 James was detached for duty to the Corps Signal School. He would remain there till the 23rd March 1918.
On the 21st March 1918 the Germans had launched a massive assault on the Third and Fifth British Armies. The German attack broke the frontline and they were making a speedy advance, capturing places like Peronne and Bullecourt in the process. The Germans were progressing quickly towards Amiens and so the Australian Divisions were sent south to try and bring them to a halt.
James's 13th Brigade was sent to the Dernancourt sector and though the initial German advance was stopped, on April 4th the Germans launched another large attack on the Australian positions, held by the 12th & 13th Brigades. It was one of the heaviest attacks faced by the Australians in the war and despite some ground being lost; the Germans were stopped from achieving the result they wanted.
After this action James was promoted to Lance Corporal.
The 13th Brigade soon went into reserve but a few weeks later they were involved in the successful counter attack at Villers-Bretonneux on April 24th/25th 1918. James showed great courage in the action and was put forward for a medal. The recommendation reads;
For gallantry and devotion to duty on night of 24/25th April 1918 during the counter attack on enemy positions near Villers-Bretonneux. This soldier laid and assisted in the maintenance of telephone lines from Battalion HQ to the front line over ground which was continuously under intense machine gun fire and which also was heavily shelled. On 25th April he displayed a fine courage in going out to repair telephone lines between Forward Brigade and Battalion HQ and also very frequently to the front line. The conditions under which the work was done called for a very high standard of courage, and he was a fine example to all in his vicinity.
James was subsequently awarded the Military Medal for his actions.
Sadly the 52nd Battalion had sustained huge casualties through April 1918 and with reinforcements from Australia drying up, the decision had been made by Australian Corps HQ to disband the 52nd Battalion. The men would be split among the 49th, 50th and 51st Battalions. James was taken on strength of the 51st Battalion on the 16th May 1918.
James served with the 51st Battalion for the next several weeks in the Villers-Bretonneux sector. On the 8th August 1918 he was given a two week furlough to England, returning to France on the 27th August 1918.
The 51st Battalion fought their last action in the war on the 18th September 1918 at Le Verguier. James survived this safely and the 51st Battalion were then withdrawn for a well deserved rest period.
They were preparing to return to the line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.
When the Germans withdrew to behind their own borders, the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. James remained in France till the 27th January 1919. He then returned to England and was sent to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny.
James would now wait to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 28th February 1919 James went to Devonport Harbour and boarded the transport ship Anchises and set sail for home. The ship berthed at Albany on the 7th April 1919 and James was then entrained north for Perth.
James was discharged from the AIF on the 26th May 1919.
He then returned home to Goldsworthy road in Claremont and resumed work as a clerk.
James was Married in 1928 to Ethel Victoria Wynne and they had the following children, Robin 1930, Peter 1933, Keith 1939.
By 1931 the family were living in Hensman Street South Perth and James was now working as an accountant.
In 1937 the family moved to Harvey with James still working as an accountant. The family were living at Harvey and then Bunbury through to the Second World War. James had been working as an accountant for the South West Dairy Cooperative Ltd.
Enlisting in April 1942, James was given the service number W69609 and he was assigned to No.4 Bunbury Battalion VDC. He served at the rank of Lieutenant. James was discharged in February 1946.
After World War Two James moved up to Geraldton to continue his accountancy work. He would live there through to the 1960's
James Irvine died on 10th February 1962 in Geraldton aged 64. He was buried in Geraldton Cemetery.