State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 19/08/1901
Number issued: 1
Gold medal, suitably inscribed, to:
4th Victorian (Imperial Bushmen's) Contingent –
246 Trooper William Arnold Vivian REID
Presentation made by Mr Charles Draper, J.P., at the Mechanics' Institute, Arthur's Creek.
Obverse: "British and South African Transvaal War, 1899-1900"
Reverse: "Presented to Trooper W.A.V. Reid, of the A.I.V., by the residents of Arthur's Creek, in recognition of his patriotic services in South Africa. 19th Aug., 1901".
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Evelyn Observer, 2nd August 1901
At a meeting held at the Mechanics’ Institute, Arthur’s Creek, on Monday evening last, Mr. Chas. Draper, J.P., introduced the project of tendering a “welcome home” to Mr. W.A.V. REID (son of Mr. Wm. Reid, J.P., of Hazelglen), who has just returned from the war in South Africa. After discussing the matter as to what form the welcome should take, it was unanimously agreed to give him a complimentary smoke night in honor of his return, and also present him with a gold medal as a souvenir of the occasion. The smoke-night and presentation is fixed for Monday evening, 19th inst., at 8 o’clock, in the Mechanics’ Institute, Arthur’s Creek. Tickets 2s 6d each.
Evelyn Observer, 23rd August 1901
WELCOME HOME TO TROOPER W.A.V. REID.
SMOKE NIGHT AND PRESENTATION.
On Monday evening last, at the Mechanics' Institute, Arthur's Creek, a welcome-home, in the shape of a smoke night and presentation was tendered to Trooper W.A.V. Reid, of the A.I.R, and the very large and representative gathering of gentlemen present unmistakeably testified to the energy of the committee and the worthy secretary, Mr. Geo. Herne, who undertook to work the affair up, and the good-will and enthusiasm displayed during the evening must have been particularly and peculiarly pleasing to the guest of the evening. .......
....... The Chairman then proposed the toast of the evening, "Our Guest."
He said they were all proud of the name their soldiers had won in South Africa, and particularly, and pardonably so, were they pleased at the action of one of their own boys, bred on the ground, in volunteering to go to South Africa, and they were truly happy at his safe return and presence there that evening. He had, besides the honor of proposing the toast of his health, a very pleasing duty to perform on behalf of the residents of the district, and that was to present the guest with a gold medal, which was made so that it could conveniently hang on his watch-chain or be fastened alongside his other medal when he was dressed in his full regimentals. The inscription on the one side of the medal read "British and South African Transvaal War, 1899-1900," and on the other, "Presented to Trooper W.A.V. Reid, of the A.I.V., by the residents of Arthur’s Creek, in recognition of his patriotic services in South Africa. 19th Aug., 1901," He sincerely hoped he would live long to wear it, and enjoy a prosperous and happy life. (Cheers.)
