State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 07/05/1902
Number issued: 2
Gold lockets, to:
5th Victorian (Mounted Rifles) Contingent –
1151 Trooper Charles Strachan
1573 Trooper Herbert GRIMES
Presentation made by Mr Thomas McLennan.
Inscribed: "Presented by the residents of Cohuna district to Privates Grimes and Strachan, of the fifth contingent on their return from South Africa, May 10th, 1902".
_____________________________________
Kerang New Times, 13th May 1902
WELCOMES TO RETURNED SOLDIERS
One of the largest social gatherings yet held at Cohuna took place in the local hall on Wednesday evening, 7th inst., the object being to welcome home Troopers STRACHAN and GRIMES, who recently returned from South Africa. Mr Thomas McLannan occupied the chair, and in a neat patriotic speech, welcomed the soldiers home. He felt proud of the duty of filling the chair on the occasion. He had pleasure in inviting a comrade of the returned soldiers on to the platform, associating here in place, as they were comrades in war, viz., Lance-oorporal WILLIAMSON, a native of Tasmania. On taking his seat, the applause was deafening. The first item on the programme was a selection on the piano, given by Mr Harcourt. Mr Alex. Smith sang a patriotic song, The Volunteers, and in response to an encore gave a comic selection, Me Too. Miss Annie McIvor, Strike Up the Band; song, Miss Maggie Price; recitation, The Postman's Story, Mr F. Simpson; song, Dolly's Mother, Miss E. Mathers; song, Miner's Dream, Mr Chas. Walsh. The first part was brought to a close with an exhibition of Mr P.J. Cleary's powers as a ventriloquist. The second part opened with addresses by Rev. T.J. Thomas and Mr John McIvor. Song, Play in Your Back Yard, Miss Annie McIvor; comic song, Piccadilla, Mr Robertson. Mr Harcourt played the accompaniments in his usual pleasing style. The chairman then presented each of the troopers with a gold locket, bearing the following inscription, "Presented by the residents of Cohuna district to Privates Grimes and Strachan, of the fifth contingent, on their return from South Africa. May 10th, 1902". In a few neat words Private STRACHAN returned thanks for such marked evidence of their loyalty and good will to the cause, and to his comrade and himself. He considered that it was a private's duty to decline commenting on actions of his superior officers, for there had been too much of that, and seldom the lines of truth were pursued. Private GRIMES also returned bis warmest thanks, and delighted the audience with extracts from his diary and gave illustrations of the pom pom and various bullets. A ball as usual wound up a pleasant evening at Cohuna.
