Peta Irving
~ On the Canvas Of Service, 2022
So, that’s my end, if you like, rather than the beginning…
Content Advisory:
The following story contains personal reflections from an Australian veteran that may include themes of trauma, war-related experiences, mental health struggles, and suicide. These narratives are shared with deep respect and the intent to honour service, foster understanding, and offer hope to those facing similar challenges.
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Please proceed with care and compassion.
I will never forget what it felt like to sit across from Peta. To realise that her reason for joining Of Service was not to celebrate a life lived, but to leave something behind—something enduring, before her time ran out. My breath caught. My body knew the weight of that moment before my mind could catch up.
It took me back to the oncology wards—where I used to be another version of myself. I remembered the stillness of a room after loss. The lights dimmed. The presence gone. Back then, I held myself together by not feeling too much. But now, as an artist, there is no distance. And with Peta, the emotion surfaced—quiet, steady, and impossible to contain.
Lieutenant Commader (LCDR) Ret’d
Royal Australian Navy
Her story began in a library, but her path was always leading to service. “I was in the Army Reserves at that time,” she said, before finding her place in the Navy in 1983—drawn by memories of her father at the docks, boarding ships, walking between steel and salt air.
Returning to civilian life brought its freedoms, but community came slower. “It took me a long time to get back into the veteran sector.” Still, her connections remained. “I am organising a gathering… every time I send out an invitation, I write at the bottom, ‘I hope I make it.’” A line passed down from her Aunty Daisy. Soft. Unassuming. Full of truth.
She has no time for half-measures. “For those contemplating going into the service, I am going to say do it. Always have an aim. If you are half-hearted about it, just do not do it.”
And she asks for no applause—only to be remembered. “I love art, and Australian modern art is my thing. This is why I really would like to do this: just leave a legacy of some sort for my son and whoever reads the book.”
She has. Quietly. Completely.
© All rights reserved. Based on extracts from: Jenani Therone, Of Service, Australia: Harvest Publishing by House of JT, 2024, pages 451 – 458.
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The content featured here is extracted from Of Service, the original fine-art publication by Jenani Therone. It is reproduced with permission from both the author and the publisher. All rights are reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without explicit permission.
