County: Northumberland
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 06/04/1901
Number issued: 1
Watch, gold chain and gold medal, to:
PRESENTATION TO AN ASHINGTON SOLDIER.
On Saturday evening, County Councillor John Wilkinson presided over a very large company which assembled at the Portland Hotel to honour a local soldier, Jas. DOYLE, of the 2nd Northumberland’s, who has undergone a fair share of the lot of the British soldier in South Africa. He was one of the few lucky ones who came through Stormberg with a whole skin, and has been through several engagements, although the greatest hardships of the campaign have been the hunger and fatigue, and other hardships attending the long and often fruitless marches in chase of De Wet. DOYLE has been sent home an invalid, but is rapidly recovering health and strength. His experience in being untouched by bullet is remarkable. He was given the hearty congratulations of the people of Ashington by the Chairman, who said it was such men as DOYLE who had maintained the power of England in Africa, and elsewhere, and they had met that evening to prove they were not unmindful of the soldier’s services to the country. (Applause).
Mr. Thomas Cowen, on rising to make the presentation, said the telegram informing them that Major Crawford was unable to leave Hexham to be with them that evening to make the presentation was a subject of regret to them all, and he was called upon to fill a gentleman’s position for which he felt altogether unfitted. It was with pleasure, however, that he had taken a part in organising that testimonial to a worthy soldier, who had gone from amongst them, and who had done his duty well. At other places the services of soldiers had been locally acknowledged, and it was a proper thing that they should show that Ashington was not behind in such matters. With the Fifths he gave Mr. DOYLE their hearty wishes for his future success. (Applause). Mr. Cowen then handed Mr. DOYLE a very handsome watch, gold chain, and gold medal, amid hearty applause.
Mr. DOYLE, in reply, said he could not find words to express his thanks to the people of Ashington who had so generously subscribed to give him a welcome home. He never thought they would have thought of him and get themselves together to do him the honour which had been displayed that evening. They must believe him when he said he was greatly pleased with such a handsome present, for which he had no claim whatever. It was true, as Mr. Cowen had said, that they had fought well, but it was for that very purpose that they went out to South Africa. (Laughter and applause). The country had called for men, and they had gone to do their work, and as a soldier he had every reason to be proud of his comrades. (Applause). They had seen deeds and sorrows, hardship – privations which would never be known of. He had seen his comrades fall by his side by the bullet, by hunger, and by fever. Throughout the whole affair, no matter what had been the conduct of the enemy, they had fought determinedly to assert their supremacy. (Applause). He could not say more, but he would long remember the good people of Ashington for their handsome present. (Applause).
