A centenary service will be held for Yarra Valley local John Frederick Irvine at the Yarra Glen RSL Sub-Branch on Tuesday 11 April at 3pm.
President of Yarra Glen RSL, Don Parsons, invites any local descendants to the service.
Mr Irvine was born in 1890 at his parents’ property in Yarra Flats.
He was the second son of five children, to parents John and Emma Irvine who owned the Yarra Flats Hotel.
Known as Jack in the community, he grew up with his older brother Thomas Irvine following the passing of their parents – Thomas worked as a contractor for the shire of Lillydale.
On Tuesday 13 July, 1915, Jack walked into the recruiting depot at the Melbourne Town Hall and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
Soon after, he was sent to the AIF’s training camp at Seymour and later spent time at other training camps including Ballarat and Williamstown.
In November, 1915, he was sent to Broadmeadows where he was allowed to the 13th reinforcements for the 14th Battalion.
In June, 1916, he sailed with the 14th Battalion to France, and then the following months went into action at Pozieres where the battalion sustained a large number of casualties.
On 11 April, 1917, the 14th Battalion were given word that they were to be part of the brigade’s attack on Bullecourt.
The attack was hastily planned and mounted resulting in disaster.
Private W. C. Ferguson said Jack was shot through the forehead at 9am in the second line of trenches at Reincourt.
The brigade suffered heavy losses in this action including 1170 taken prisoner, the largest number of Australians captured in a single engagement during the whole war.
As his body was never recovered, he is remembered today on the memorial at Villers Bretonneaux in France.
One of Jack’s best friends, Stanley Smedley was also killed in action on the same day.
Both of their names appear on the Yarra Glen War Memorial.
For more information, call Don Parsons on 0418 588 360.
