225504 Colour Sgt. Benjamin Bichan Irvine British Army 9th Btn. Royal Scots from:Edinburgh Benjamin Irvine, son of William Bichan Irvine and Euphemia Gray Cundill McIntosh, was born 26 October 1893 at 34 Caledonian Crescent, Edinburgh, and was working as a scientific instrument maker in the photographic department of A. H. Baird, 39 Lothian Street, Edinburgh when he enlisted in the 9th Royal Scots (Highlanders) Territorial Force on 14 September 1914.
This battalion was known as “The Dandy Ninthsâ€. After training in Scotland he left for active service in France on 23 February 1915. Bennie progressed through the ranks to become a Sergeant. He received a gunshot wound in the head on 27 May 1917 (latter stages of the battle of Arras) resulting in damage to his right eye.
After he spent a few days in the Liverpool Merchant’s Mobile Hospital at Etaples, (No.6 Hospital British Red Cross) he was posted to the 835 Area Employment Company of the Labour Corps, based at Dannes, about 10 kilometers north of Etaples. This was a large ammunition depôt. Bennie was promoted Company Quarter Master Sergeant, later Colour Sergeant, and remained there until 3 February 1919 when he returned to the United Kingdom to be discharged on 6 March 1919 having served a total of 4 years and 174 days.
Ben married Margaret (Meg) Hutcheon Munro, daughter of David Hutcheon Munro and Johanna Grace Mouat of 17 Willowbrae Road, Edinburgh, on 16 September 1927, at the Church of Scotland Manse in Duddingston, Edinburgh. At that time Ben was a photographic dealer and Margaret was a photographer. Margaret’s father, deceased at the time of the marriage in 1927, had been a photographer also, and it is possible that Ben and his wife carried on his business.
Ben was living at 25 Craiglockhart Park, Edinburgh in August 1949 when he registered the death of his mother, and later in 1961 when he registered the death of his brother William. Ben died on 16 January 1968 at 1 Glenlockhart Road, Edinburgh, a rest home/hospital. His occupation was given on his death certificate as “X-ray Assistant (Retired)â€.
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