David Ireland enlisted in 1916 at Kirkcaldy, Fife, days after his 18th birthday, joining the Highland Cyclist battalion of the 3rd Royal Highlanders, The Black Watch.
He was sent to France as a dispatch cyclist relaying messages from trench to trench under heavy fire and was hit by a German biplane. He rejoined the war in April 1917 at the Battle of Arras and was shot in the knee.
A year after the war ended, Mr Ireland was discharged from the Army, deemed unfit for military service.
He returned to Cupar, Fife, where he had been brought up, and worked as a gardener. But in 1924 he was admitted to nearby Stratheden Hospital when his memories returned to haunt him.
Four years ago, at the age of 100, he became only the fifth Scottish World War One veteran to be awarded the Legion d’honneur, the French government’s highest award for gallantry.
Artist’s Response
When I first read about David Ireland, I immediately got an image in my head. His story of being part of the bicycle battalion during the war then becoming a gardener afterwards felt relatively light-hearted and whimsical for a war story and I loved that. David Ireland was allowed to grow old; something that is so rare for young men who fought in the war.
I have not always resonated with war stories and found them too depressing at times, but I really liked the fact that it was more about growth and life than death. I think it is important to share stories about survival as well as sacrifice. I researched online and found out what the bikes they used in WWI looked like and decided to surround it with flowers native to Scotland to emphasize that this is a Scottish story. I decided to use screenprinting as I’ve always loved how simple yet bold and effective it can be for storytelling. I had considered so many other kinds of printing but screenprinting is a go-to for a reason.
Leah Cameron
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
Website: leahyeah.co.uk
Instagram: @_leahyeah.
Leah is currently studying Illustration at DJCAD where her work focuses mostly on comics, comic art, small press zines and autobiographical content. She loves using visuals to tell a story, especially when based in real life or about issues she’s passionate about.
