State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 26/07/1901
Number issued: 1
Gold medal, suitably inscribed, to:
WELCOME TO A RETURNED SOLDIER.
LAL LAL, Wednesday.
Trooper CANTLON, of Clarendon, who left here with the Australian Bushmen for service in South Africa, returned yesterday, and met with a hearty welcome. A detachment of the Clarendon Rifle Club and a number of civilians met the returned trooper at the local railway station. The president of the rifle club, Mr Worland, invited all present to adjourn to Cr Way’s hotel, where the health of the returned trooper was drunk in bumpers. Trooper CANTLON, in replying, gave many amusing accounts of his travels through South Africa. Messrs Austin, Forrest, Lumsden, McLennan, Bowers, and many other prominent members of the club were present to receive Mr CANTLON, who, I may say, looks none the worse for his adventures.
A RETURNED SOLDIER.
Tuesday.
A welcome home social was tendered Trooper P.C. CANTLON, a returned soldier of the Imperial Bushmen's Corps, in the Clarendon Hall on Friday night last by the members of the Clarendon Rifle Club.
The proceedings opened with a concert, the president of the club, Mr Worland, occupying the chair, and about 200 persons being present. The chairman, in his opening remarks, referred to the many good qualities and courage displayed by the colonial troops while on active service, and said that England should feel proud of her colonies. At the conclusion of his address the hall resounded with deafening cheers.
A programme of songs was then gone through, each item being well received and encored. The following gentlemen took part, to the accompaniment of Miss Lee, pianiste: —Song, Sons of the Sea, Mr J. Adams; song, Mary McIntyre, Mr W. Sheldon; recitation, Toby Toss Pot, Mr Binder; song, The Englishman, Mr Morcom; recitation, Siege of Lucknow, Mr Tebay; song, Has Tour Hair Grown White, Mr Bowker; recitation, The Man from Snowy River, Mr Delahunty; song, Death of Nelson, Mr Tonkin; recitation, No Fools in Paradise, Mr Tebay; song, Only a Leaf, Mr J. Adams; song, comic, In the Papers, Mr Delahunty, also Tim Hooligan's Mare; song, Californian Miner, Mr W. Sheldon; recitation, The Stockman's Last Ride, Mr Tebay; recitation, The Yam of the Nancy Bell.
The chairman then called upon Deputy-Captain Cr Way, of the Clarendon Rifle Club, to make a presentation to Trooper CANTLON of a beautiful gold medal, suitably inscribed. In doing so the deputy-captain said he felt highly honoured at being called upon to perform such a pleasant function. He referred in felicitous terms to Trooper CANTLON, both as a citizen and a soldier, and wound up by wishing him every success in life, and hoped he would live long to wear the medal.
The secretary of the club, Mr Morcom, delivered a very stirring address, at the same time apologising for the unavoidable absence of the Parliamentary members for the district, the president (Cr Austin) and other members of the Buninyongshire Council.
Trooper CANTLON, in accepting the gift, thanked Mr Way on behalf of the members of the Clarendon Rifle Club. It was a gift he would dearly cherish along with another one, a pair of field glasses, presented to him by his Clarendon friends prior to his departure for the war, and which had been of great value to him. He gave an interesting account of his experiences in South Africa. Mr CANTLON's remarks were greeted with prolonged cheers.
Mr Morcom moved a vote of thanks to the performers; also to Miss Lee for use of the piano; and the press.
Cr Way, in responding on behalf of the visitors, said it would be very cowardly on the part of Australians to refuse to take up arms on behalf of the British Crown against any nation in the world.
LAL LAL.
