Thomas J Irvine #219816 was born July 19, 1890 in Edinborough, Scotland. It is possible that he sailed on the Ionian from Glasgow, Scotland to Halifax on March 29, 1910. He listed his sister Mrs. Hannah (Irvine) Kerr as his next of kin. She and her husband Benjamin lived in 2nd Line Drummond Township near Perth, ON with their four children, Sadie, Irving, Ernest, and Jean. Thomas enlisted on Sept 29, 1915 in Brockville at the age of 25 and assigned to the 80th battalion. He was 5’5, 33” chest, 130 lbs, single, blue eyes and brown hair. He listed his occupation as a labourer and religion as Presbyterian. He has scars on his wrist, shin and jaw.
His medals and decorations went to his sister, Mrs. John Brown of 80 King St. Glasgow, Scotland and his plaque and scroll went to his other sister, Mrs. John Slater of 90 King St. Glasgow, Scotland. No Memorial Cross was issued due to no living mother. On Feb. 9, 1917, he wrote a will leaving everything to his sister, Miss A. Irvine of Tydrum Bearsden Glasgow, Scotland while he was with the 3rd battalion. His $15 per month pay went to Fred Boyd of Merrickville, ON.
On March 16, 1916 he was docked 7 days of pay while with the 80th battalion. On Dec 24, 1915 he was hospitalized for four days with rheumatism. On Feb. 10, 1916, he was hospitalized for nine days with stomach flu. On May 16, 1916, he sailed from Halifax to Liverpool on the SS Baltic. He was initially assigned to the 74th and then the 51st battalion. On Aug 8, 1916, he was examined due to blisters on his feet and found to have flat feet. It was recommended that he go twelve weeks at Base Camp without marching. On Aug. 11, though, it was recommended he do exercises instead. On Jan 22, 1917, he was reexamined and found to improve greatly and had just recently marched ten miles without discomfort. He was then assigned to the 12th Reserve. On Feb. 15, 1917, he was assigned to the 75th battalion and went to France.
On April 9, 1917, the 75th battalion came over the top at 5:30am supported by a strong barrage with the objective of taking the Tottenham Tunnel. They initially took heavy losses due to sniper fire but achieved their objective by 1pm. The 44th, 47th and 50th were brought in to secure the tunnel and the 85th attacked the Germans at 9:30pm who were very close to their position. The next day, the 75th led again an attack on the Beer Trench and with support took it as well. 59 men went missing and 9 died from the 75th battalion as a result of this attack.
Private Irvine died on April 9, 1917 at Vimy Ridge after he went over the top while with the 75th battalion. He was declared dead on May 5. His body was never found and is memorialized on the Vimy Memorial. The Vimy Memorial overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge. Located north of Arras in France, the Vimy Memorial is Canada’s largest overseas National Memorial. It commemorates more than 11,000 men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force killed during the First World War in France and who have no known grave. Many of them died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He is commemorated on page 261 of the Book of Remembrance. Pte Irvine could possibly be the Thomas Irvine who sailed from Scotland on the S.S. Corinthian at the age of 13 in 1904, destination Brockville, Ontario under the Dr. Barnardo's Home Children Program.
His medals and decorations went to his sister, Mrs. John Brown of 80 King St. Glasgow, Scotland and his plaque and scroll went to his other sister, Mrs. John Slater of 90 King St. Glasgow, Scotland. No Memorial Cross was issued due to no living mother. On Feb. 9, 1917, he wrote a will leaving everything to his sister, Miss A. Irvine of Tydrum Bearsden Glasgow, Scotland while he was with the 3rd battalion. His $15 per month pay went to Fred Boyd of Merrickville, ON.
On March 16, 1916 he was docked 7 days of pay while with the 80th battalion. On Dec 24, 1915 he was hospitalized for four days with rheumatism. On Feb. 10, 1916, he was hospitalized for nine days with stomach flu. On May 16, 1916, he sailed from Halifax to Liverpool on the SS Baltic. He was initially assigned to the 74th and then the 51st battalion. On Aug 8, 1916, he was examined due to blisters on his feet and found to have flat feet. It was recommended that he go twelve weeks at Base Camp without marching. On Aug. 11, though, it was recommended he do exercises instead. On Jan 22, 1917, he was reexamined and found to improve greatly and had just recently marched ten miles without discomfort. He was then assigned to the 12th Reserve. On Feb. 15, 1917, he was assigned to the 75th battalion and went to France.
On April 9, 1917, the 75th battalion came over the top at 5:30am supported by a strong barrage with the objective of taking the Tottenham Tunnel. They initially took heavy losses due to sniper fire but achieved their objective by 1pm. The 44th, 47th and 50th were brought in to secure the tunnel and the 85th attacked the Germans at 9:30pm who were very close to their position. The next day, the 75th led again an attack on the Beer Trench and with support took it as well. 59 men went missing and 9 died from the 75th battalion as a result of this attack.
Private Irvine died on April 9, 1917 at Vimy Ridge after he went over the top while with the 75th battalion. He was declared dead on May 5. His body was never found and is memorialized on the Vimy Memorial. The Vimy Memorial overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge. Located north of Arras in France, the Vimy Memorial is Canada’s largest overseas National Memorial. It commemorates more than 11,000 men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force killed during the First World War in France and who have no known grave. Many of them died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He is commemorated on page 261 of the Book of Remembrance. Pte Irvine could possibly be the Thomas Irvine who sailed from Scotland on the S.S. Corinthian at the age of 13 in 1904, destination Brockville, Ontario under the Dr. Barnardo's Home Children Program.