Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Surgeon General John Irvine, Army Medical Department

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Defence of Lucknow, Lucknow (Staff Surgn. 2nd Class J. Irvine, M.D.); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (Surgn. Genl. J. Irvine Medl. Staff) mounted on double silver ribbon brooch buckle, nearly extremely fine (2) £1,000-£1,200

John Irvine was born at Old Aberdeen on 13 April 1828, and qualified M.D. at King’s College, Aberdeen, in 1849. He was appointed Assistant Surgeon on 16 November 1849; appointed to 88th Foot, 15 March 1850; to Staff, 22 August 1851; Staff Surgeon 2nd Class, 2 October 1857; to 8th Foot, 11 September 1860; to Staff, 14 April 1863; to Royal Artillery, 1 May 1867; Surgeon Major R.A., 16 November 1869; to Staff, 7 December 1870; Deputy Surgeon General, 8 November 1876; Surgeon General, 1 June 1883; retired pay, 13 April 1888. Was Head of the Sanitary Branch, Medical Department, War Office, 1876-80, and of the Sanitary and Statistical Branch, 1880-82. Granted local rank of Surgeon General while employed as Principal Medical Officer Egypt, 28 December 1882. He died in London on 21 September 1895.

Doctor Irvine served throughout the operations with Havelock’s Column in 1857, in medical charge of the Royal Artillery (Maude’s), including the action of Futtehpore, Aoung, Pandoo Nuddee, Cawnpore, Oonas, Buseerut Gunge, Mungawarra, and Alumbagh, relief and defence of the Residency at Lucknow (mentioned in despatches). With Outram’s force in the Alumbagh from November 1857 to March 1858, and at the siege and capture of Lucknow by Lord Clyde (Medal and Clasps). He was present in the operations in Burma 1885-87 as Surgeon-General H.M. Forces, Madras (Mentioned in despatches; Medal with Clasp).

The following obituary is taken from the British Medical Journal, 28 September 1895:

‘We regret to have to record the death of Surgeon-General John Irvine, M.D., Honorary Physician to the Queen, who died in Kensington on September 21st. Dr. Irvine graduated M.D. of Aberdeen University in 1849, and in the same year obtained the qualification of L.R.C.S. Edinburgh. He entered the Army Medical Department as Assistant Surgeon in 1850. He served throughout the operations with Havelock's column in 1857 in medical charge of the Royal Artillery (Maude's), and was present at a number of actions and at the relief of Lucknow, being mentioned in dispatches. He was with Outram's force in the Alumbagh from November, 1857, to March, 1858, and at the siege and capture of Lucknow by Lord Clyde. He was awarded in this connection the medal with two clasps and a year's service. He also received a medal with clasp for service with the Burmah expedition in 1886. In 1869 he was promoted to be Surgeon-Major, and he became Deputy Surgeon-General in 1876, and Surgeon-General in 1883. He was appointed Honorary Physician to the Queen in 1885, and was placed on the retired list of the army in 1888.’