Gateshead ROH Volume 1 A to M

Medal Index Card

Charles Erskine Irvine, the eldest son, was born on the 23rd December 1896, at 11 Dalrymple Place, in Newington at Edinburgh, to Charles Fraser Irvine, [born 25th June 1872, at 8 Commercial Street, Lerwick, Shetlands Islands, he died in Gateshead in June 1952], a baker, and Georgina [Jean] McNeil [Kerr], born in Edinburgh at 7a Carnegie Street, 6th March 1877, and died in Gateshead 1960, she was the daughter of Francis Kerr and Georgina [Jean] McNeil. They were married on the 29th November 1894, in Newington Edinburgh.

Charles Fraser Irvine, the father, was born on the 25th June 1872, at 8 Commercial Street, Lerwick, SH1 SCT. His father was Charles Fraser Irvine and his mother was Andrina Moar.

In 1881, the father was residing at 4 Victoria Wharf, Lerwick, in 1891, 6 McNeill Street, Newington, Edinburgh, boarding with a William Pitkethly.

Georgina, Charles's mother was born at 7a Carnegie Street, Edinburgh, [her father was a Francis Kerr], on the 6th March 1877, in 1881 she was residing at 8 Dalrymple Place, Newington, Edinburgh, in 1891, 3 Davie Street, Newington.

The family moved to the North East before 1901, as in 1901 they were all boarding at the Queen's Head Yard at Alnwick.

By 1911 the family were residing at 197 Rose Street, Teams, Gateshead, Durham. Charles was a Miner before the outbreak of World War 1.

After 1911, the family moved again to 91 Fleming Street, Gateshead.

They had six children but two died, Charles, born 1896, Francis Kerr Irvine, born 3rd May 1898, at 3 Davie Street in Newington, Edinburgh, married in 1924, to Caroline Victoria Dufour, [born 6th January 1897 died 1975], at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Was employed by the North Eastern Railway as a Loco Fireman, in 1939 was residing at 71 Wynbury Road, Gateshead, where he died. William Gordon Beavers Irvine, born 1901, died age 3, in 1904, at 218 at St Cuthberts Road, Gateshead, buried 23rd October 1904 at East Cemetery Gateshead. George McNeil Irvine, born an died in 1904, also buried at East Cemetery on the 12th November 1904. Living at St Cuthbert's Road. John Anderson Irvine, born 1905, in Gateshead, died on the 18th May 1963, at 22 Chestnut Gardens, Gateshead, which was his residence in 1939, was a Crane Driver in a Steel Works, married Barbara Isabella Sharp, born 16th March 1902, died 1999. In 1911 they were residing at 197 Rose Street, Gateshead, in 1915, 91 Fleming Street, and they wee married 1927. Margaret Edminson Irvine, born 27th March 1908, at 197 Rose Street, Gateshead, she was married to a Joseph P. Gankrodger, in Gateshead, [born approx. 1908, location not known], married in 1931, and residing in 1939 at 10 Arthur Terrace, Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea. She died in 1957, and finally William Alexander Irvine, born on the 3rd August 1911 at 197 Rose Street, Gateshead, he died in 1970, and was a Locomotive Shunter at an Iron Steel Works, he married Florence May Kennedy, [born 20th June 1910, died 1974], in 1933 and in the 1939 census, they were residing at 74 Milling Street, Gateshead. In 1939 his parents were residing at 300 Victoria Road, Gateshead.

Charles attested into the Special Reserve, Durham Light Infantry on the 10th August 1914, for 6 years at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was 17 years and 7 months old. On the 19th August 1914 he enlisted into the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry at Gateshead, where he undertook a Medical Examination, he was 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighed 99 lbs, Grey Eyes with Light Brown Hair. His service number was 3/10059.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion, August 1914, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to South Shields where it then remained as part of the Tyne Garrison.

He was in the UK until the 15th December 1915, then embarked to France and Flanders on the 16th December 1915. At the Depot in France he was attached to 'D' Company, the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.

The 10th (Service) Battalion was formed at Newcastle on the 22nd August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 43rd Brigade in 14th (Light) Division. Moved initially to Woking, then to Aldershot for final training, and then on to Witley in November 1914, returning to Aldershot in February 1915.

21st May 1915, landed at Boulogne. They fought at the Battle of Hooge, were they were the first battalion to be attacked by Flamethrowers. They were involved in the second attack at Bellewaarde. In 1916, they were on the Somme. They fought at Delville Wood and the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. On the 12th February 1918 they were disbanded in France.

Charles when in France was admitted to the 50th Casualty Clearing Station, from the 44th Field Ambulance unit, for Scabies on the 8th January 1916, returning to duty on the 14th January 1916. Then on the 17th he was again sent to the 50th Casualty Clearing Station, [located at Hazebrouck], via the 42nd Field Ambulance unit, with Scabies, but this was diagnosed as Dermatitis, he returned to his unit on the 5th February 1916.

On the 16th September 1916, the XV Corps attacked along the line at 9.25am. On the 14th Division front the creeping barrage was weak and inaccurate. On the right, the 6th Somerset Light Infantry came under fire from Gas Alley and made little progress. West of the Ginchy-Gueudecourt road, the 10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, came under severe fire from the front and right flank and took cover in shell holes. The 6th KOYLI and 6th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry attempted to reinforce but suffered the same fate. An order to renew the attack at 6.55 pm was carried out with no success.

Source: The Somme Day by Day Account Chris McCarthy. ISBN 1860198732.

The previous day was the first time that tanks had been introduced on the 15th September. The 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry War Diary reports:- orders were received to move up to [the] vicinity of Tea Support in front of Delville Wood, now clear of the enemy. At the commencement there was no fire, , but Delville wood was being heavily barraged. Battalion went through the wood in Artillery formation, Companies in single file,. 8 O.R.s. were killed by one shell, otherwise casualties here were wonderfully light. Just in front of wood, Artillery fire was rather heavier but the Battalion came through well. Took positions with two companies in Brown Trench and two companies in shell holes about 200 yards in front.

Orders which had taken 4 or 5 hours to reach us were received about 11.30 pm that 43rd Bde would relieve 42nd Bde in the front line trenches which they had reached our Battalion to be on the left and the Somersets on our right. 41st Division was on our left and the Guards on our right.

Saturday, September 16th. About midnight we moved off in a N.N.E., direction in artillery formation to find he line we were to take over. It position was uncertain. We suffered several casualties on the way up from 77mm. We eventually arrived after several halts in dangerous positions, at the line to be occupied by us exactly in the centre of the position. The line to be held ran from about N 31. d. 9. 5. to N 31. d. 10. 7. and to N 32. c. 3. 2. with 3 Coys in the front line and H.Q. and 1 Coy in support about 50 yds behind.

The night was very quiet reconsolidation was proceeded with. Orders were received about 5 am that the 43rd Bde would attack the 3rd and 4th objectives at 9.25am, and establish a line beyond GUEDECOURT. Our part of the attack was to be on a 600yd front between N 31. c. 4.0. to N 32. C. 5. 6. The necessary orders were accordingly issued.

Our flanks were to rest on the roads leading to Guedecourt from the boundaries of our front. The front 3 Coys were ordered to advance in two waves and the other Coy in two waves in support. The artillery support was altogether insufficient and it is believed that for a time ammunition could not be got up quickly enough. The Barrage did not creep in front of our men and the heavies dropped a large percentage of short ones.

Sometimes it was difficult to recognise the line of the barrage.

At the appointed time the Coys advanced and immediately came under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from the front and right flank. The machines-guns were probably in Grid Trench or shell holes or even in Guedercourt, We advanced about 40 yards but could not go any further on account of the machine gun fire from which the casualties were heavy. It was observed also that there was wire in front of the trench to be taken which had not been cut at all by the artillery.

The entry for casualties then was 6 officers killed 11 wounded and OR's not yet ascertained.

Estimated casualties was 430 men, marched out with about 200 men.

On the 19th Casualties was noted as 381 OR's Killed , Wounded or missing.

Research: Mark Irvine/Shetland Family History Society with Thanks and James Pasby

He is remembered at Gateshead in G39.123, and in the Durham Light Infantry Remembrance Book WW1 D46.013c page 248.

This is one of the additional names recently researched not included in the original Gateshead Roll of Honour.

Somme Photos
Hooge WW1 Battlefield
The CWGC entry for Private Irvine