Triggered: Simon Martin
© Simon Martin, Placing the Wreath
By Simon Martin
I knew the idea of youth in military uniforms is a trigger for a lot of people and on many occasions globally that is a valid response. I photographed the cadets for 4 years. Throughout my time creating the work I wanted to see the innocence that I’d found to be very present, images such as this helped construct that narrative through humour but the factual fibres of the image are far from humorous. The wreath is laid annually in memory of the 24 Cadets that died in 1951 aged between nine and thirteen when their company was hit by a bus. The cadets would take part in various marches and lessons that confronted scenarios and life lessons that many 13 year olds would not come across in their usual day to day lives.
