Group of thirteen medals awarded to Brigadier J. P. Girvan, 15th Canadian Infantry Battalion, the most decorated member of the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) in the Great War.
Medals: 1. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; 2. Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with Second Award Bar, lacking integral top ribbon bar; 3. Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 4. 1914-15 Star (27071 Pte. J. P. Girvan. 15/Can: Inf:; 5. British War medal 6. Victory Medal, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Col. J. P. Girvan.); 7. Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, with overseas clasp, unnamed as issued; 8. War Medal 1939-45, Canadian issue in silver, unnamed as issued; 9. Jubilee 1935; 10. Coronation 1937; 11. Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration, G.V.R., the reverse officially inscribed (Major J. P. Girvan D.S.O. M.C. 48th Highrs. of C.) complete with integral top suspension brooch; 12. Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal, G.V.R. (Major J. P. Girvan D.S.O. M.C. 48th Highrs of C.); 13. France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre 1914 1916, with bronze Palme.
Uniform Accoutrements: 1. silver 48th Highlanders of Canada glengarry badge, Birmingham hallmarks for 1918 by ‘B & P’; 2. a pair of Falcon brass collar badges; 3. two Second War Brigadier cloth rank epaulettes with rank insignia.
27071 Private John Pollands Girvan was a 27 year old postal clerk and championship Argonaut rower with no previous military service when he attested into the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) at Valcartier, Quebec in September 1914. Serving in No. 1 Company he survived the 24 April 1915 gas attack during the battle of 2nd Ypres and was promoted to Corporal. Following the battle of Festubert in May, Girvan was promoted to Sergeant and in September he was commissioned as a Lieutenant. Having been promoted to Captain in April 1916, he took part in the assault on Observatory Ridge in June and by September he was Acting Major commanding No.3 Company on the Somme near Courcelette. Girvan was seriously wounded during the attack against Thiepval ridge and awarded the Croix de Guerre. He won the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry leading No. 1 Company at Hill 70 in August 1917 and was promoted Major in December. As Acting Commanding Officer in September 1918 during the 100 Days offensive, Girvan was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leadership at the Crow’s Nest and the Drocourt-Queant Line and a Bar to the DSO for gallantry at the Canal du Nord. In addition to these awards, for his service in The Great War, Major Girvan was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Post war Girvan remained with the 48th Highlanders and was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers Decoration, the 1937 Jubilee medal and the 1937 Coronation medal for his militia service between the wars. He served as Commanding Officer from 1932 to 1936 and again as Commanding Officer of the 2nd Home Battalion 48th Highlanders in 1939. He was appointed OC 1st Training Centre, Camp Borden and in 1942 he was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Director of Military Training in Ottawa. For his service in World War II, Brigadier John Pollands Girvan was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the 1939-45 War Medal.
As a civilian, Girvan returned to his employment in 1919, with the position of principle clerk. In 1927 he was Head Postal Clerk, and in 1932 he was Superintendent of Mails. In 1936 he was Assistant Postal Director, becoming Postmaster in 1947, and retired in 1948.
John Pollands Girvan died on 29 May 1961, in his 74th year at his Wildwood Lodge home in Georgetown, Ontario, where he is buried in Greenwood Cemetery. His wife died the following year.