A 1914-15 Star to Private Alexander Ireland to the 8th Infantry Battalion; Wounded 1915

 

Footnote: Alexander Ireland was born on April 12, 1877 in Brechin, Scotland. He signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (81434) on December 21, 1914, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the age of 37 (although he was recorded by the examiner as being age 35), naming his next-of-kin as his brother, Thomas Ireland, stating that he had one years' previous service with the Scottish Horse, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Farmer. Three weeks later, he was appointed Lance-Corporal at Winnipeg on January 9, 1915, sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Vaderland on February 23, 1915 and arriving in England shortly thereafter. Upon arrival, he was transferred to the 32nd Reserve Battalion and confirmed in the rank of Lance-Corporal at West Sandling on March 3rd, however, he reverted to the rank of Private for being "drunk" on May 5th. Private Ireland proceeded overseas on draft to the 8th Infantry Battalion and was posted to "D" Company, on July 16, 1915 in France, taken on strength by the 8th Infantry Battalion in the field on the 22nd. He was attached to the 2nd Field Company, Canadian Engineers on January 28, 1916, transferred to the 1st Canadian Division Engineers on April 6th, then later returned to the 8th Infantry Battalion. On the evening of September 9, 1916, Private Ireland was buried by a shell, suffering a gun shot wound near his right eye and encountering "shell shock". He was admitted to No. 13 General Hospital at Boulogne on September 11th and subsequently invalided to England via hospital ship on September 12th. He was briefly posted to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre at Folkestone, then admitted to 1st Eastern General Hospital at Cambridge on September 13th. During one of his examinations here, one of the doctors noted that "He now complains of pain in his back & from both thighs, also on buttocks". Private Ireland was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom on October 25, 1916, where he would recuperate for the next two and a half months, before being discharged on January 8, 1917. He was placed on command at the Canadian Convalescent Depot at Hastings on January 10th, then posted to the Canadian Railway Troops Depot on February 9, 1917, before being transferred to the 5th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops as a Sapper the following day. Sapper Ireland proceeded overseas to the French theatre on February 24th and while with the 5th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, he was sentenced to seven days' Field Punishment No. 2 on March 12, 1917, "for when on active service, refusing to obey an order of an NCO". He was transferred to No. 3 Light Railway Company on July 20, 1918, where he would serve for eleven days, before rejoining his unit on July 31st. Upon the ceasing of hostilities, he returned to England and was posted to the Canadian Railway Troops Depot on January 13, 1919 and placed with the Canadian Railway Troops Pool on February 2nd. His medical status was re-assessed at Knotty Ash Camp in Liverpool on March 19th, the doctor noting that Ireland had "no disability". He was placed on command at the Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park, North Wales for return to Canada, embarking Glasgow, Scotland aboard the S.S. Saturnia on March 30, 1919. Private Alexander Ireland, 8th Infantry Battalion, 5th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops, was discharged upon demobilization at Dispersal Station "P", Military District No. 12 in Regina, Saskatchewan, on April 12, 1919, stating his intended residence as Regina, credited with having served in Canada, England and France, entitled to wear the War Service Badge, Class "A", number 67106. For his First World War service, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.