tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629002092206577063.post2905404282821706168..comments2023-07-09T18:40:14.439+10:00Comments on Fighting the Kaiser: Coburg, Brunswick and the First World War: The 1917 Win-the-War campaign strikes trouble in Coburgcherylghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12674487881309060774noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629002092206577063.post-12203681629404178282016-01-04T10:35:02.932+11:002016-01-04T10:35:02.932+11:00That makes sense. Because there were so few McGirv...That makes sense. Because there were so few McGirvan entries, I tried Girvan and found 10 enlistees with that surname, two of them from Victoria. One was from Brunswick and he was killed in action in OCtober 1917 but the other is a possibility. His name was Thomas William Girvan, who applied to enlist in 1918 as a 21 year old from Coburg. He was a gripman, so worked for the tramways. In 1922 he was living in Sydney Road, Coburg and electoral rolls reveal that he stayed in Coburg and later became a warder at Pentridge. I'm inclined to think that he might just be the mysterious 'Sergeant McGirvan' but there's no way of knowing for sure.cherylghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12674487881309060774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629002092206577063.post-25846816331257446712015-12-11T17:13:15.118+11:002015-12-11T17:13:15.118+11:00Not sure if I included Tom Ryan's URL:
http://...Not sure if I included Tom Ryan's URL:<br />http://empirecall.pbworks.com/w/page/54181648/Ryan-T-Pte-3153Lenore Frosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425222424273971365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629002092206577063.post-54939965155745681602015-12-11T16:47:14.536+11:002015-12-11T16:47:14.536+11:00Hi Cheryl, the rank may be an honorary one. He m...Hi Cheryl, the rank may be an honorary one. He may be a "Recruiting Sergeant", but not in the AIF. Another politician of this type was "Sergeant Tom Ryan", who did eventually enlist as a private in 1918. It is possible McGirvan had served with the British Army years ago. Have another look at Trove but discount him being in the AIF.<br /><br />His name may come up (with an initial with a bit of luck) in the lists of speakers at recruiting meetings. <br /><br />Lenore Frosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425222424273971365noreply@blogger.com