Lieutenant-Colonel C.F. Irvine
5th/7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
It was entirely due to Major Irvine’s cool headedness and personal courage which inspired the men to turn the tables completely on the enemy. Had it not been for his quick thinking and magnificent example the column might well have been captured by the enemy
(Chevalier of the Order of Leopold II citation, 8 Dec 1945)
Born on 12 November 1910 in Drumoak, Aberdeenshire, Charles Francis Irvine was educated at Radley College and Exeter College, Oxford University, with a degree in agriculture. In September 1939, He joined the 5th/7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders as a lieutenant and served in every engagement the unit fought in the North African and North West Europe campaigns. He earned the Military Cross while leading the transport section in the Normandy breakout in mid-August 1944.
In January 1945, he succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel G. Douglas Renny who had been promoted to 9th Infantry Brigade. Irvine led the 5/7th Gordon Highlanders until the end of the war in Europe and received from the Belgian government the Chevalier of the Order of Leopold II with palm and Croix de Guerre 1940 with palm:
This actions were fought under conditions of extreme hardship and cold. Throughout them Lt-Col. Irvine showed tactical ability and great qualities of leadership. He was always a great example to his men. As a result, the Bn achieved success in every action which they carried out and in spite of adverse conditions the morale of the men remained very high.
Despite fighting in every operation that the battalion participated from El Alamein to the final invasion of Germany, Irvine emerged unwounded. He demobilized in late 1945 and returned to his civilian business career. He inherited the Baron and Laird of Drum from his late brother in 1975.
Irvine died on 4 March 1992 in Clatterbridge, Wirral.
World War Graphic History 
“He earned the Military Cross while leading the transport section in the Normandy breakdown in mid-August 1944.”
Normandy breakdown ? – maybe Normandy breakout ?
There were Irvines in central Wyoming, where I’m, from, that retained a close connection to Scotland. I’ve blogged about one, noting:
“This the memorial to Converse County’s war dead which is located in the Converse County Courthouse.
Amongst the individuals whose are listed on the memorial is a young man by the last name of Irvine whose lost his life in the British Royal Flying Corps. The Irvines, who had a presence in Wyoming ranching until the 1970s, were a well to do family that hailed originally from Scotland. This Irvine no doubt grew up partially in Wyoming, but was going to school in Canada when World War One broke out. Irvine California is named for the same family.”
Converse County War Memorial, Douglas Wyoming