Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Major John David Irvine  Service Nos: S31163

 SX13882   41168

          John, the son of William and Mary Elizabeth Jane Dabinett, was born at Wellington on 10 May 1922. Mary died in 1924 leaving William with 2 year old John and 3 year old Mary. William remarried to Olive Mary McDonald (nee Dabinett), his widowed sister-in-law in 1926.

            A radio  mechanic by trade and employed by the Post Master General’s Department at Tailem Bend, John enlisted in the Citizen Military Forces at Wayville on 14 March 1941. He reported for full time duty at 4th District Ordnance Workshops and was immediately graded as a Grade 1 Wireless Mechanic in the Australian Army Ordnance Corp.

                On 28 July 1941 he reported to District Discharge  and Reception Depot for discharge due to his impending re-enlistment in the AIF. The following day he enlisted in the AIF at Wayville. Retaining his Group 1 Wireless Mechanic  John was granted pre-embarkation leave on 6 October and two weeks later was allotted to Australian Army Ordnance Corp Reinforcements and entrained for Sydney. John embarked aboard HMT “LL” Convoy 13 on 2 November and on 24 November disembarked in the Middle East. In the Middle East John served with 4 Australian Ordnance Workshop Company. On 9 August 1942 he embarked from Suez and disembarked in Adelaide on 11 September.

            In October 4 Ordnance Workshop Coy transferred to Bendigo, then Melbourne and finally Bandiana where, on 1 April 1943, John was promoted to Corporal. That month he attended an Artillery Wireless Course in Sydney before being posted to 2 Ordnance Workshop Coy in Albury. By September John had transferred to Queensland where he was graded Trade Group 1 Mechanic Telecommunications.

            John was suffering from multiple warts on his legs and in February 1945 was admitted to 3 Camp Hospital at Enoggera and a week later transferred to 7 Camp Hospital at Bowen Hills. After being discharged he rejoined 5 Ordnance Workshop but was immediately transferred to 4 Australian  Armoured Brigade Workshops.

            On 26 May 1945 John embarked from Brisbane aboard the ship  “Maui ‘and disembarked on Morotai on 5 June. John embarked from Morotai aboard LST938 when, on 1 July, Australian troops launched a sea-borne assault on Balikpapan. John served here until returning to Morotai aboard “W.H.Point” on 7 November.

            Now a sergeant John volunteered for service with the British Occupational Force in Japan and served there from 28 February 1946 until 21 July 1948, during which time he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2. While in Japan John suffered multiple ulcers on his left shin and was admitted to 130 Australian General Hospital, Eta Jima, for two weeks in August. John returned to Australia aboard “Kanimbla”, embarking on 11 May 1947 and disembarking in Sydney 13 days later. Attached to his old unit, 4 Ordnance Workshop Coy, John was discharged on 9 September 1947.

            On his return John found employment with Radio Corp Australia, a radio and radio telephone installation and maintenance group at 55 Flinders St, Adelaide. He married Frances Mary Saleeba on 27 March 1948 and the couple had two children, Peter John and Catherine. After three years of civilian life John made the decision to enlist in the Regular Army.  Enlisting in 1951 John was immediately allotted to Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at  Central Command Workshop and appointed Telecommunications Mechanic Warrant Officer Class 2.

            John and Frances divorced in September 1953 after which John was posted to Director Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at Headquarters Melbourne. In 1955 John married Mary Magdalene “Rene” Griffin. Mary Magdalene was the daughter of Thomas John Griffin and Catherine Edwards. The wedding took place in Victoria where John had been posted to Southern Command Workshops at Puckapunyal to supervise the modification and installation of wireless equipment in the new Saracen Armoured Personnel Carriers.

            Promoted to Warrant Officer Class 1, John served at 3 Base Workshop for 3 years until posted to HQ Southern Command in 1963. Promoted to Lieutenant, he served here until January 1966 when he was posted to Army Apprentice School at Balcombe for nine months and RAEME Training Centre for three months. On his return to HQ Southern Command John was promoted to Captain.

            In 1971 John undertook a three month attachment to United Kingdom, Canadian and United States Army establishments and commercial organisations while studying the latest developments in the field of electrical testing equipment techniques. John was awarded an Australian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1972 and was promoted to the rank of Major in 1973. He retired from the army on 30 April 1975.

            John died on 6 August 1998 and Mary died on 8 July 2000. They are buried together in Alexandria Cemetery, Alexandra, Victoria.

                Now a sergeant John volunteered for service with the British Occupational Force in Japan and served there from 28 February 1946 until 21 July 1948, during which time he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2. While in Japan John suffered multiple ulcers on his left shin and was admitted to 130 Australian General Hospital, Eta Jima, for two weeks in August. John returned to Australia aboard “Kanimbla”, embarking on 11 May 1947 and disembarking in Sydney 13 days later. Attached to his old unit, 4 Ordnance Workshop Coy, John was discharged on 9 September 1947.

            On his return John found employment with Radio Corp Australia, a radio and radio telephone installation and maintenance group at 55 Flinders St, Adelaide. He married Frances Mary Saleeba on 27 March 1948 and the couple had two children, Peter John and Catherine. After three years of civilian life John made the decision to enlist in the Regular Army.  Enlisting in 1951 John was immediately allotted to Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at  Central Command Workshop and appointed Telecommunications Mechanic Warrant Officer Class 2.

            John and Frances divorced in September 1953 after which John was posted to Director Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at Headquarters Melbourne. In 1955 John married Mary Magdalene “Rene” Griffin. Mary Magdalene was the daughter of Thomas John Griffin and Catherine Edwards. The wedding took place in Victoria where John had been posted to Southern Command Workshops at Puckapunyal to supervise the modification and installation of wireless equipment in the new Saracen Armoured Personnel Carriers.

            Promoted to Warrant Officer Class1 John served at 3 Base Workshop for 3 years until posted to HQ Southern Command in 1963. Promoted to Lieutenant, he served here until January 1966 after which he was posted to Army Apprentice School at Balcombe for nine months and RAEME Training Centre for three months. On his return to HQ Southern Command John was promoted to Captain.

            In 1971 John undertook a three month attachment to United Kingdom, Canadian and United States Army establishments and commercial organisations while studying the latest developments in the field of electrical testing equipment techniques. John was awarded an Australian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1972 and was promoted to the rank of Major in 1973. He retired from the army on 30 April 1975.

            John died on 6 August 1998 and Mary died on 8 July 2000. They are buried together in Alexandra Cemetery, Alexandra, Victoria.