State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 07/06/1901
Number issued: 2
Gold chain & pendant or gold locket, suitably inscribed, to:
3rd Victorian (Bushmen's) Contingent –
506 Private Andrew JOHNSTONE (pendant)
4th Victorian (Imperial Bushmen's) Contingent
270 Farrier Alexander WEBSTER (locket)
Presentation made by Councillor Bishop, in the Recreation Hall, Box Hill.
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Box Hill Reporter, 14th June 1901
Welcome Home to Trooper A. JOHNSTONE.
There was a large and enthusiastic gathering in the Recreation hall, Box Hill, on Friday evening to welcome home Trooper A. JOHNSTONE. The stage was decorated with "Welcome home" mottoes and bunting, kindly lent by Mrs Vaughan. Cr T.R.B. Morton, president of the shire, presided, and had the guest of the evening on his right. There was a goodly array of returned warriors, including Privates A. WEBSTER, Syd. BROWNING, Ford TOWT, WELCH, WHEELER, Graham DUNN, Driver FOOTE, W. POPE, A.B., Corporal LINSLEY, and others, who all received a most enthusiastic reception. Apologies for non-attendance were received from Messrs Wm. Knox, M.P., Keast, M.L.A., Ingamells and Walker, J.'s P., Strangward, Major McLaren, and Lieut. D.M. Coghill. Proceedings were opened with a musical selection, played in splendid style by the recently-formed Box Hill military band, under the able leadership of Bandmaster Harry Foster. The toast of "The King" was proposed by chairman, and was received with musical honours. Cr Aspinall sang "The Old Brigade", and Mr J.O. Smith "The Broken Wheel". Cr A. Rawlings, in a capital speech, proposed "The Army and Navy", to which appropriate responses were made by Corporal Linsley for the army and Mr Pope for the navy. Mr Kelly’s powerful graphophone contributed several musical numbers; Mr Kellett gave a clever exhibition of club-swinging, and the Box Hill band played the "Wairoa" march. Dr Vaughan, in proposing the toast of the guest of the evening, remarked that it afforded him particular pleasure to welcome back the last of the lambs to the fold. He was exceedingly pleased to see present so many of the returned contingenters. Nunawading had been well represented in the different contingents, and he was especially glad that so far as this district was concerned, there was no need to drink a silent toast. Thie toast was supported by Messrs J. Steele, C.A. Cox, B. Richards, W. Meader, Dr Craig, and Cr Aspinall, who all cordially welcomed "Johnty" home again. Cr Bishop, on behalf of the friends of the recipients, presented Trooper JOHNSTONE with a gold chain and pendant, and Private WEBSTER with a gold locket, suitably inscribed. Mr Mellor sang "The Outpost", and as an encore song, "Johanna Maguire". Trooper JOHNSTONE, in responding, briefly referred to his soldiering experiences. He had had hard times and good times, and was glad to get back to Box Hill again. He had fired a good many shots, but could [not] say whether he had killed any Boers, though he could safely say that he had shot as many of them as they had shot of him. He thanked his Nunawading friends for their hearty welcome and their handsome present. Private WEBSTER, in a neat speech, also expressed his thanks. Mr W. Davis sang "The old log cabin" and Cr Rawlings "The 5 o'clock bus". After further words of welcome from Private DUNN, of the Westralian contingent, (who related how "Johnty" and his comrades were rescued from a tight place at Elands river, and from Mr J.O. Smith, who proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, the proceedings closed with the singing of the national anthem.
