Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Great War M.M., Civil B.E.M. group of seven awarded to Corporal J. Irvine, Royal Engineers

Military Medal, G.V.R. (418030 Cpl. J. Irvine, R.E.); British Empire Medal, (Civil) E.II.R. (James Irvine, M.M.); British War and Victory Medals (418030 Cpl., R.E.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (418030 2 Cpl., R.E.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Imperial Service Medal, E.II.R. (James Irvine, M.M., B.E.M.), generally good very fine and a rare combination of awards (7) £600-800

M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919.

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1953.

James Irvine was born in the parish of Blackfriars, Glasgow in 1895 and enlisted in the Royal Engineers (Territorial Force) in February 1913, aged 17 years, being appointed a Driver in the Lowland Divisional Telegraph Company - his enlistment papers record his height at a touch under six feet.

Mobilised in August 1914, he transferred to the Divisional Signalling Company and was advanced to Acting Corporal in the 3/1st Company in January 1916 - which distinction was reduced to that of 2nd Corporal for his use of insubordinate language to his superior officer in October of the same year. He subsequently went out to France in February 1917, served in 39th Signalling Company and, from September 1918, in 9th Signalling Company, and won his M.M. for gallant deeds in the latter unit.

Having then been demobilised in May 1919, Irvine returned to his pre-war occupation in the General Post Office, and was awarded his B.E.M. for services as an Inspector in the Telephone Manager’s Office in Glasgow in 1953, in addition to the Imperial Sevice Medal (London Gazette 3 May 1955 refers); sold with three original G.P.O. congratulatory letters regarding the award of his B.E.M., together with related Downing Street letter of notification, this last dated 29 December 1952.