Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1917 ‘French theatre’ M.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant G. J. Irving, 29th Battery, 8th Field Artillery Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, who was also wounded in action, 19 July 1917

Military Medal, G.V.R. (19852 Bmbr: G. J. Irving. 8/Bde: Aust: F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (19852 A-Sgt. G. J. Irving. 8. F.A.B. A.I.F.) good very fine or better (3) £700-900

M.M. London Gazette 19 July 1917. The original recommendation (jointly listed with three others) states:

‘On the morning of 13th June 1917 the 29th Battery was subjected to very heavy shell fire by 5.9 shells. Under the orders of the Battery Commander all ranks except himself and four men had evacuated the position, the Battery Commander and four men remaining in the close vicinity of the Battery. During the bombardment a number of direct hits were made on the gun pits setting fire to three of them and causing the ammunition in the pits to commence to explode. Bombardier Irving with three other men and Major Churches, at once went into these pits and put out the fires with wet bags. This was done although salvos of 5.9s were at the time bursting on the battery position and the ammunition in the pits was also exploding, about 400 rounds exploding before the fires were extinguished. Under their Officer these four men undoubtedly saved two guns and about three hundred rounds of ammunition by their action’

George John Irving was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1886. He was a Seaman (Steward) prior to his enlistment in the Australian Imperial Force 29 November 1915. He embarked for the UK in H.M.A.T. Medic in May 1916, and then travelled to France in December of the same year. He served with the 29th Battery, 8th Field Artillery Brigade, as part of the 3rd Australian Division.

Irving, having advanced to Bombardier, was wounded in action on the Western Front, 19 July 1917, and invalided to the UK. After going ‘awol’ he was discharged at Weymouth, Dorset in August 1917, and returned to Australia in H.T. Berriman in October of the same year. Irving was discharged from service 16 March 1918.