Company Sgt. Major John Irvine B-51514

Before joining the military, John Irvine worked for a short time as a bank teller in Montreal Quebec until a higher paying job came along in the Bata shoe company’s plant also in Montreal. From there he moved to Brampton where he enlisted. 

CSM Irvine served with the Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment). His unit, No. 6 Defence Platoon, 6th Canadian Infantry brigade, saw action in Operation Jubilee, the raid on the French port town of Dieppe, France, on August 19, 1942. CSM Irvine was in command of the Defence Section and led his men with exceptional courage under extreme circumstances. His section was part of Brigade Headquarters Group "A" and was responsible for providing defensive support to the brigade command structure.

During the raid he led his section ashore under heavy artillery and machine gun fire. He maintained unit discipline and fighting effectiveness throughout the engagement, fighting alongside Brigadier Southam until forced to surrender. Wounded, he was taken as a POW to Dieppe Hospital, Rouen Hospital, and eventually Stalag VIII B (Lamsdorf, Ober Silesia). He survived his wounds, as well as his time in captivity.  He was able to provide detailed post-war testimony about the action, and his subsequent incarceration. His detailed sworn statement from 1958 provides valuable historical documentation of the Dieppe Raid and serves as testament to the courage and sacrifice of Canadian forces during this operation.

Post war, he started off as a guard at Guelph reformatory and over the years he worked his way up to becoming a superintendent in the Ontario Department of Reform where he remained until he retired. He worked at Mimico, Burwash, Monteith, and Burritts Rapids prisons.  When he retired, he moved to (then) Hespler. He died on Oct 12 1972. He was married to Lucy Violet Goldham and had 4 children Edward George, Ronald Keith, Lynda Diane, and Raymond Thomas. As for his education, little is known about that but he did not attend any secondary schooling that we know of. John was born in Falkirk Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and his father was Thomas E Irvine who worked in a brick yard until moving to Canada around 1909 with his family. 

We will remember them