James Murray Irwin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Murray Irwin
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| Born | 13 February 1858 Manorcunningham, County Donegal, Ireland |
| Died | 7 November 1938 (aged 80) Bideford, Devon, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1881-1919 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | Royal Army Medical Corps |
Sir James Murray Irwin was an important British doctor who served in the army. He was born on February 13, 1858, in Manorcunningham, Ireland. He helped soldiers in big wars like the Second Boer War and World War I. He reached the high rank of Major-General before he retired.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Murray Irwin grew up in Manorcunningham, which is in County Donegal, Ireland. When he was 17, in 1875, he started studying medicine at Trinity College Dublin. This was the first step in his long career as a doctor.
A Career in the Army
James Irwin joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1881. This meant he became a doctor for the British Army. He started as a captain in Dublin in 1882. Soon after, in 1883, he was sent to India.
Serving Around the World
Over the next few years, James Irwin moved to many different places. He served in Dublin again in 1890. Then he went to Gibraltar in 1891 and Brighton in 1897. In 1894, he was promoted to the rank of major.
He was then sent to Sudan. He worked as a Medical Officer in Atbara during the Battle of Omdurman in 1898. This was a big battle. After Sudan, he joined an expedition to Crete in 1899. He also served on a troopship called HMS Verona.
The Boer War and Beyond
In 1900, James Irwin went to South Africa to help during the Second Boer War. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1902. After the war ended, he returned to England.
He then worked at Aldershot Garrison, a large army base. In 1906, he moved to the War Office in London. This is where important decisions about the army are made. Later, in 1910, he was sent to Tianjin (Tientsin) in China.
In 1911, he became a Colonel. He was sent to Hong Kong to be the deputy director of Medical Services. This meant he helped manage all the army doctors and hospitals there. In 1913, he traveled all around the world.
World War I Service
When World War I began in 1914, James Irwin returned to London. He helped set up the King George V Hospital in Waterloo. In 1915, he went to France and worked in Rouen. He was a Deputy Director of Medical Services there.
In 1916, he became the Director of Medical Services for the British Third Army. This was a very important job, making sure all the soldiers in that army got the medical care they needed. He was promoted to Temporary Surgeon General in April 1916. He returned to England in 1919, after the war ended.
Later Life and Family
After his long and busy career in the army, James Irwin retired. He moved to Bideford in North Devon, England. He passed away on November 7, 1938, at the age of 80.
He was married to Nora Conlan in 1884. They had one daughter named Edna Florinek, who was born in 1885.
