State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 09/05/1902
Number issued: 2
1299 Private Percy Fred SAMPSON
WELCOME HOME.
PRESENTATION TO CORPORAL E. JOHNSON & PRIVATE SAMPSON.
On Friday evening last, at the shire hall, a welcome home was tendered to Corporal JOHNSON and Private SAMPSON, who went to South Africa with the Fifth Contingent, by the residents of this district. The welcome took the form of a social and dance, at which gold medals, commemorative of their services in the Boer war, were presented to the returned soldiers. The hall had been prettily and tastefully decorated by the ladies, and a large gathering assembled to do honour to the "boys". The President of the Shire, Councillor Lade, presided, and called upon Mr Baker, chairman of the reception committee, to explain to the meeting the nature of the gathering. Some of the younger men, Mr Baker said, had come to him expressing the wish to welcome the "boys" home in a suitable manner, and asked him to join them. He was only too pleased to give his advice and assistance in the movement. He had suggested a social and a presentation of medals, and if possible the collecting of sufficient funds to place a tablet on the walls of the shire hall, that the names of those who had served the Empire in her need, might be handed down to posterity, which the committee heartily approved of. The idea had taken on. Funds had come rolling in unasked. The ladies had provided the refreshments for the dance, the councillors had given the hall free, and the public had given their money willingly to carry out the ideas of the committee. The committee and public had therefore convened the meeting that evening that the President, in the name of the people, might welcome home Corporal JOHNSON and Private SAMPSON. He referred feelingly to young HARKER, a native of Alexandra, who was the first colonial to fall in the field; also to Mr R. McGREGOR, who died in service ; and to Lieut. MAYGAR, who had won the V.C.
At the conclusion of Mr Baker's address, which was warmly applauded, the returned soldiers made their appearance at the main entrance door, and were escorted through the hall to the stage, amid vociferous cheering, the Federal Orchestra meanwhile playing Rule Brittania. On their mounting the platform, the President warmly shook each soldier by the hand, and welcomed him home, Corporal JOHNSON being conducted to a chair on the right of the President, and Private SAMPSON to a seat on the left.
Apologies were read from Lieut. D. Dobson and Councillor Cookson, when the Chairman, who was pleased to welcome them home on behalf of the residents of this shire, assured them that their gallant action in volunteering for active service had been appreciated. It was indeed a great honour to Australia for her sons to stand shoulder to shoulder with the picked soldiers of Britain, beneath the grand old flag, showing that they could endure hardships with the best trained men of the Empire. All felt deep gratitude for the services of the volunteers from Victoria; they represented Australia, and their services deserved to be recognised and acknowledged. Those who had left this shire had all distinguished themselves, instancing the valuable services of Lieut.-Colonel McLEISH, of Yea, and Lieut. DOBSON, who had again gone to the front. He then, amid great applause, presented each returned soldier with a beautiful gold medal, inscribed as follows: –
"Presented to _______ , by the residents of Alexandra, for services rendered the Empire in South African War. May 9, 1902".
Councillor Leckie said he appeared in a threefold capacity – first as a councillor, secondly as a rifleman, and thirdly as the exponent of himself and his own thoughts. As a councillor and a rifleman, he would not say much. He never felt happy at being the mouth-piece of others; he was not sure that he was saying what they wanted him to say. He would therefore speak for himself, and from his own heart he welcomed the soldiers home, and thanked God that they had returned safely and uninjured. Many anxious hours had been spent by their parents, and he knew that their mothers would say, "Thank God my boy is home I again". (Applause). Councillor Leckie also pointed out that the Governments, by sending the contingents to South Africa, had raised Australia, not only in the estimation of Britain, but all the world. The Continental nations were prepared to respect England as they had done before the war, because of her colonies and the martial reserves Britain had there.
Councillor Knowles said, as a councillor and as a representative of the people he heartily welcomed the soldiers home. They had gone out with their lives in their hands; not only were they in danger of the Mauser bullets, the pom pom, and the "Long Tom" missiles, but of fever and disease in all its hideous forms. The returned soldiers had escaped the dangers, though one had been prostrated by fever but he had lived through it all and had come back safely. He favoured the idea of the tablet suggested by Mr Baker, and would like to see the names of Privates ROSS, HARKER, and McGREGOR added to the other names, sons of old and respected residents of the shire. (Applause).
Captain Billinghurst, as the representative of the permanent forces, desired to extend a hearty welcome to Corporal JOHNSON and Private SAMPSON. He reminded the audience that when it was first mooted that Victorian volunteers should be sent to help the Imperial soldiers fighting in the veldt, that the idea was scouted with jeers and contempt by some who thought they knew everything. Young Australia had shown the material of which they were made. The young men who had left our shores had done noble work for the Empire. They had made Australia famous and a word to conjure with in the old country. To the young men, who, like those on the platform, had suffered and toiled for the national cause, we are indebted for the esteem in which Australia is held today by the Imperial Government. He would ask for three cheers for the "boy".
Corporal JOHNSON, amid prolonged cheers, arose to thank the President of the Shire and the public for the warm welcome they had given him. He said he was not a man of words, and therefore the audience must excuse him making anything like a speech. He had been in many a tight corner on the veldt, but he could assure them that he was in a tighter corner then if they wanted him to make a speech. He could only thank them for their kindness. (Applause).
Private SAMPSON, on returning thanks for the welcome, said he would like to take the opportunity of saying that a week before he left Cape Town, he had seen Lieut. MAYGAR, who desired to be remembered to the people of Alexandra. (Applause).
Mr Baker then called for cheers for the ladies, the President of the Shire, and all who had been instrumental in making the meeting such a success.
Shortly after 9 o'clock dancing began and continued till nearly daylight. The music being provided by Mr Bossing and others.
Too great praise cannot be bestowed upon the ladies who so generously and lavishly provided the supper. The tables literally groaned beneath their load of comestibles.
During the earlier part of the proceedings the Federal Orchestra rendered a number of selections very creditably.
