May 13, 1898
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Born in Surrey, England to William James and
Amelia Irwin
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Apr 5, 1912
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Embarked the SS Corsican in Liverpool as a Home
Child under the care of Mrs. Birt
![](http://21stbattalion.ca/ships/Corsican-04.jpg)
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Apr 14, 1912
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Disembarked in St John, New Brunswick and proceeded
to the Louisa Birt Home for destitute children in Knowlton Quebec before being sent to a
family home to be employed as a servant/farmhand
![](http://21stbattalion.ca/photosdg/ellison_ja-knowleton.jpg)
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Oct 7, 1916
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Attested into the 156th Battalion CEF
in Kemptville, Ontario
Ø Number 640234
Ø Next of kin given as Bandsman Peter Alexander Irwin, brother, #5170, 5th
Dragoon Guards, BEF (British Expeditionary Force)
Ø Previous occupation given as Farmer
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Church of England
Ø Assigned to “D” Company
The battalion trained in the Kingston area of
Ontario
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Oct 18, 1916
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Embarked the SS Northland in Halifax, Nova Scotia
![](http://21stbattalion.ca/ships/Northland-01.jpg)
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Oct 28, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded
to the Witley Camp
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Nov 1, 1916
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Transferred to the 109th Battalion in
Witley and assigned to “A” Company
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Dec 8, 1916
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Transferred to the 124th Battalion in
Witley
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Jan 5, 1917
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Transferred back to the 156th
Battalion
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May 23, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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May 24, 1917
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Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry
Base Depot) in Etaples, France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Jun 11, 1917
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After leaving the base depot, Private Irwin
joined the 21st Battalion in billets in Coupigny, France
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Aug 15, 1917
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The 21st
Battalion was part of the advance on, and capture of Hill 70, near Lens, France. The battalion suffered a large number of
casualties while taking their objective. When
the fighting had subsided after the capture, Private Irwin was part of a stretcher party
sent out to bring in wounded men for treatment. While
doing so, he was killed instantly by a German sniper and buried in a nearby field. When the war ended, the Graves Registration
Commission made an attempt to locate his grave for reburial in a military cemetery, but
his remains could not be located. Not having
a known grave, he is commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge,
France
![](http://21stbattalion.ca/graveshl/irwin_fa-vimy.jpg)
Following the war the
British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to Miss Mary E. Sanderson, a friend, Oxford
Station, Ontario
The Plaque (Dead Man’s
Penny) and Scroll were sent to his sister, Mrs. Iva Clark, Yorkton, Saskatchewan
There was no Memorial
Cross issued
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