Gordon Budd Irving, DFC, was born in Toronto on 16 May 1888, the only son of Mary Maude Irving and William Henry Irving, of the legal firm of Kilmer, Irving, and Davis. He worked for the National Trust Company in Toronto before joining the Royal Flying Corps in May 1917. After training at Camp Borden, Gordon Irving was sent to England in July 1917, and then to France, where he was posted to 19 Squadron. He rose to the rank of Captain, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and was credited with twelve enemy aircraft downed. On 11 August 1918, he was reported missing, believed killed in action. His body was never recovered. The correspondence consists primarily of letters from Gordon to his father and his sister Fern (Mrs. M.C. Purvis). There is also official correspondence from military authorities, and letters from one of W.H. Irving's business associates in England.
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WWI
These collections contains any material relating to Canada from 1914 to 1918 from either the home front or the battlefront. External links in collection descriptions are either to online attestation papers at Library and Archives Canada or casualty and burial information at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Harold Lawrence Irwin was born in Franklin, Manitoba in March, 1894. He later moved to Vancouver, British Columbia and enlisted in Vancouver in June, 1915. Irwin served overseas in England and France until his death on July 3, 1918 while serving with the 1st Tramway Coy., Canadian Engineers. The collection currently consists of more than one hundred letters, as well as numerous photographs and postcards.
Herbert Laurier Irwin was born in Weston, Ontario in 1896. Irwin enlisted in Toronto, Ontario in October, 1915 with the 41st O.S. Battery and served overseas in France and Belgium. The collection consists of twelve letters, four postcards, and two photographs.
Arthur Mansell Irwin was born in July of 1867 in Dalyrimple, Ontario and came to Norwood, Ontario between 1913 and 1914 as Pastor of Norwood Methodist Church. As a church and community leader, Irwin mentored Norwood's youth and maintained diligent correspondence with many young men serving overseas during WWI. Irwin's son Pte.Karl Webster Irwin also served overseas, leaving Norwood in 1917. This collection consists of multiple clippings and articles pertaining to Canadian servicemen from Norwood, as well as one letter and two telegrams. Irwin's correspondence with numerous Canadian soldiers from Norwood comprise multiple collections on this website and are linked to this collection.
Raymond Ellsworth Ives enlisted in 1916 and served overseas in France, including Vimy Ridge. The collection consists of four letters, ten photographs, and a short personal memoir from enlistment to Vimy.
Hartley Samson Ivey was born in Campbellford, Ontario in June, 1894. He enlisted with the 73rd Battalion in Kingston, Ontario in February 1917 and served overseas until his return in 1919. Ivey was one of the correspondents to Reverend Arthur Mansell Irwin from Norwood, Ontario, whose collection is also contained in this project. The Ivey collection currently consists of one letter and one newspaper clipping.
