Godfrey George Howy Irving | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) | |
| Born | 25 August 1867 Melbourne, Victoria |
| Died | 11 December 1937(1937-12-11) (aged 70) Kew, Victoria |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1885–1925 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | 1st Military District (1917–21) 4th Military District (1914–15, 1916–17) 14th Brigade (1916) 15th Brigade (1916) Chief of the General Staff (1915) 5th Military District (1909–14) 6th Battalion,Australian Commonwealth Horse (1902) |
| Battles / wars | First World War |
| Relations | Martin Howy Irving (father) Sybil Irving (daughter) |
Major GeneralGodfrey George Howy Irving (25 August 1867 – 11 December 1937) was a seniorAustralian Army officer during theFirst World War.
Godfrey George Howy Irving was born on 25 August 1867 at theUniversity of Melbourne, the son of ProfessorMartin Howy Irving. He was educated at Hawthorn Grammar School.
While still at school, Irving enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Victorian Rifles in 1885. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion in 1887 and in 1891 joined the Victorian Permanent Forces as a captain. Over the next nine years he was adjutant of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Battalions. In March 1900 he became adjutant of the Victorian Rangers and was promoted to major in July 1900. In March 1902 he was appointed to the Victorian Headquarters staff inMelbourne.
Irving volunteered for service inSouth Africa and embarked in May 1902 as commander of the 6th Battalion,Australian Commonwealth Horse, with the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel. Irving and his battalion arrived in Natal, but were immediately ordered to return to Australia due to the end of the war. Irving returned to Australia and resumed duty on the Victorian staff. In November 1903, he was transferred to the Army Headquarters staff.
Irving was sent to England and India for training in 1905, returning in early January 1906. In March 1906 he was posted to the Administrative and Instructional Staff inNew South Wales. In September 1909 he became commandant of the5th Military District (Western Australia). He was promoted to temporary colonel in January 1911 and substantive colonel on 1 May 1915. In July 1914, he moved toSouth Australia to become Commandant of the4th Military District (South Australia).
On 24 May 1915, Irving was appointedChief of the General Staff, replacingJames Legge who had been appointed General Officer Commanding theAustralian Imperial Force (AIF). His chief responsibility was overseeing the expansion of the training establishment in Australia to provide reinforcements for the AIF units overseas and raising and training what would become the2nd Division.
By late 1915, the General Staff and theMinister of Defence, SenatorGeorge Pearce, had become concerned by the way that the Australian Intermediate Base and the AIF training depot in Egypt were being run. Lacking confidence in the base commander, ColonelVictor Sellheim, Pearce ordered Irving, an officer he regarded as more capable than Sellheim, to take charge of the base in November 1915 as GOC Australian Troops in Egypt.
The evacuation ofGallipoli lead to Irving not taking command of the Australian Intermediate Base and the AIF training depot, he was instead given command of the15th Brigade on 21 February 1916. On 1 March 1916, he was switched to command of the14th Brigade. He was also acting commander of the5th Division from 1 March until the arrival of Major GeneralJames McCay. On 20 March, the 4th and 5th Divisions were ordered to move from their training area at Tel el Kebir to theSuez Canal, where they would replace the 1st and 2nd Divisions, which had recently left for France.
Irving returned to Australia in June and once again became Commandant of the 4th Military District. In February 1917, he became Commandant of the1st Military District (Queensland).
In May 1921 he was appointed Deputy Quartermaster General at Army Headquarters in Melbourne. He was placed on the unattached list in 1922 and made a major general on retirement in November 1925.
Irving died in Melbourne on 11 December 1937 and was buried in Boroondara Cemetery.
His son Ronald Godfrey Howy Irving graduated fromRoyal Military College, Duntroon in 1919 and reached the rank of brigadier. His daughters both had notable careers withSybil Howy Irving, being the founder and controller of theAustralian Women's Army Service during theSecond World War and his youngest daughterFreda Irving being was a journalist who also served with the Australian Women's Land Army.[1][2]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Major GeneralJames Gordon Legge | Chief of the General Staff May – December 1915 | Succeeded by ColonelHubert Foster |
