| John Irvine was the eldest son of Thomas G and Magdalene Irvine. Thomas Irvine and Magdalene Jamison werr married on 30th May 1889 in the district of Dungannon.
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| John Irvine was born in Fivemiletown 31st March 1890. He was the oldest of at least eight children, all born in the Fivemiletown area.
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| The 1901 census records John as 11 years old. The family lived at house 4 in Beagh, Fivemiletown, Tyrone Thomas was a farmer
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| Known family: Thomas G Irvine, Magdalene Irvine, John Irvine (born 31st March 1890), Jane Irvine (born 20th July 1891), James R Irvine (born 16th February 1894), Mary Irvine (born 30th April 1895), Thomas Irvine (born 15th May 1899, died 30th July 1899), Alfred Irvine (born 22nd October 1905), Frances Lily Irvine (born 12th February 1908), Margaret Irvine (born 5th May 1910).
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| The 1911 census record John as 21 years old. The family were still living in Beagh, Fivemiletown. John’s occupation is described as a farmer’s son.
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| John was a member of Timpany L.O.L. No. 889 and served as Worshipful Master in 1914.
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| John Irvine enlisted in Randalstown. He was living in Fivemiletown at the time.
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| Sergeant John Irvine was wounded in June 1917.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 22nd June 1917:
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| Sergeant John Irvine, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Kiltermon, Fivemiletown, wounded.
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| Sergeant John Irvine was awarded the Military Medal in August 1917, after the Battle of Messines.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 30th August 1917: The Military Medal
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| Sergeant John Irvine, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who has been awarded the Military Medal, is a son of Mr John Irvine, of Beigh, Fivemiletown. He was wounded on 7th June last.
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| Sergeant John Irvine M.M. was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action in France on Thursday 6th December 1917.
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| Sergeant John Irvine M.M. was a cousin of Corporal Thomas Irvine, who was killed in action on 9th May 1916.
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| Sergeant John Irvine M.M., has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval in France.
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| Cambria Memorial photo kindly donated by Bob Pike, courtesy of Carrie Pike, via the Great War Forum.
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| Sergeant John Irvine M.M. is commemorated locally on Fivemiletown War Memorial and also on the WWI Roll of Honour in the Methodist Church in Fivemiletown.
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| Sergeant John Irvine M.M. is also commemorated locally on Clogher War Memorial.
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| Sergeant John Irvine M.M. is also commemorated locally on Timpany L.O.L. No. 889 Roll of Honour.
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| The CWGC record Sergeant John Irvine M.M. as the son of T G and Magdalene Irvine of Beagh, Fivemiletown, County Tyrone.
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| Sergeant John Irvine M.M. is listed on page 58 of the Fivemiletown book, from which most of these details come from. Many thanks to Mark Byers for the information.
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