County: Worcestershire
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 12/06/1901
Number issued: 27
Gold medals and illuminated addresses, to:
6804 Private John Walter YATES
969 Private G.F.W. WALKER
Major William Humble Ward, 2nd EARL OF DUDLEY
1053 Trooper William Lawson RHODES (absent - detained at Charlestown convalescent camp)
26916 Trooper William A. STREET (absent - serving in S. Africa)
10102 Trooper Stewart Erskine HOLLAND
7256 Trooper George Spong THOMPSON [Thomson] (absent - serving in S. Africa; gazetted lieutenant)
34625 Trooper Frederick John GOODREDS (absent - serving in S. Africa)
Medals described as: "shield shaped, bearing a suitable inscription, and intended for watch-chain pendants"
When the bills came in after the presentation "it was found that the subscriptions were nearly £30 short of the expenditure. An appeal has been made to the local gentry, but up to the present [25/09/1901] only £7 has been received".
The Worcestershire Chronicle, 28/04/1900, states that "the Dudley companies have now contributed six members for active service in South Africa". This number almost certainly includes Corporal DUFF, who, although accepted, does not appear to have set sail for the Cape. Only four men are reported to have received medals.
The wording of the illuminated address indicates that 27 medals were to be distributed. 18 of these were presented on 12/06/1901.
Note: volunteers & yeomen received a second medal from Worcester.
Sold as a part of a lot of 47 grams of scrap 9-carat gold, for £972.53
WEST MIDLANDS & THE WAR.
DUDLEY VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FRONT.
IN MEMORY.
THE RETURN OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
The Mayor said he had another military matter to bring before the Council. He had received a letter from the Patriotic Committee, who had had a meeting the previous evening, at which it was resolved that a welcome should be given to the returning volunteers, and other means were suggested for recognising the services of the men. The letter asked the co-operation of the Mayor and Corporation in the matter, and suggested the starting of a subscription list towards the welcome of the men. A deputation, consisting of the Rev. A. Gray Maitland (vicar of Dudley), Major Higgs-Walker, Sergeant-Major Chiverton, and Mr A. Prince, were appointed to wait on the Council to discuss the matter.
The deputation were introduced, and the Rev. A. Gray Maitland, who acted as spokesman, explained the object of the deputation. They were all aware that fifteen men were accepted from Dudley and went out to South Africa as volunteers, to fight for their country. All except one – Clarkson, who had laid down his life in the cause – were returning, and he and his colleagues had waited upon the Council to suggest that they should co-operate with the Patriotic Committee in suitably welcoming their heroes home. He had just heard that the steamer conveying the men would arrive at Southampton on Saturday. Various proposals were made at the meeting to present something to the men, but whatever was done, it meant money, and they hoped that with their courtesy and usual kindness that they would allow a subscription list to be opened.
The Mayor said they understood the position, and the Council would discuss the matter.
The deputation then retired.
The Mayor said he should be pleased to meet the men at the railway station, and would be glad of the company of any of the Council who would like to accompany him. As for the rest, it was mainly a matter of money, and he would be pleased to receive contributions. The volunteers had rendered very noble service to the country, and had had a very unpleasant task. He did not think Dudley should be behind other towns in welcoming back those who had risked their lives for their country. He should be willing to hand over any subscriptions which the members liked to give him to the Patriotic Committee.
Mr Chambers understood that the volunteers should be entertained at a banquet.
Mr T.W. Adshead said he was very sorry to see that the Mayor’s reservist fund had collapsed, and that the wives and children of the men were not receiving anything. Under these circumstances he thought the money would be far more welcome to the men than any banquet. He, in fact, considered it anomalous to give the men a banquet while their wives and children were starving.
Mr Chambers: These are volunteers, not reservists.
Mr Bean pointed out that all the volunteers were single men.
The Town Clerk pointed out that very elegant medals could be obtained from 7s 6d each. Gold medals would cost three or four guineas each.
Replying, the Mayor said that if the members of the Council would give their contributions, the Patriotic Committee would see that the money was put to the best advantage. He would head the subscription list with £5. (Hear, hear).
A “Welcome Home” Fiasco.
THE RETURN OF THE DUDLEY VOLUNTEERS.
LEAVING THE FRONT.
WEST MIDLANDS AND THE WAR.
A banquet took place at the Public Hall, Dudley, on Wednesday night, at which there were present about 200 guests, including members of the Corporation and many other leading citizens of the town. The Mayor (Mr E. Grainger) presided, and among those present were the Earl of Dudley, Colonel Talbot Watson, Lieutenant-Colonel Goodwin, Major Higgs-Walker, Captain H.G. Walker, Captain Bucknall, Captain Whitcomb, Sergeant-Major Chiverton, the Vicar of Dudley, Dr J.H. Wilkinson, Rev. E.H.L. Noott, Messrs T. Short (chairman of the Patriotic Committee), and A.F. Prince (hon. secretary).
The Mayor proposed the toasts of “The King” and “The Army, Navy, and Auxiliary Forces”. Responding, Colonel Talbot Watson thanked the members of the battalion who had gone to the front for the way they had maintained and increased the credit of the battalion.
The Vicar of Dudley proposed “Our Guests”, eulogising the services rendered by the various kinds of Volunteers who had gone to the front from Dudley, remarking that they had done honour and credit to the town.
Major the Right Hon. The Earl of Dudley, in responding, remarked that he was not in the least surprised that the Yeomanry had proved to be a success in South Africa. They had done their duty, and done it well. He hoped that their experience might have the effect of increasing the public enthusiasm for the Yeomanry forces in England, and he was pleased to see a disposition on the part of the War Office – perhaps late in the day – to recognise the Yeomanry as a going concern. (Hear, hear). For many years they had fought a very uphill fight. They had struggled against considerable adversity in many ways, and he was glad that the tide had now turned and that the force which they had attempted to make efficient had at last been recognised. It was not for him to speak with regard to the Volunteers, but he wished to express his hope in regard to the Yeomanry, because it seemed to him that it was very important that our young men should try and take some part in military matters and in the defence scheme of the country. It was only the Volunteer forces of this country, mounted or on foot, which saved us from conscription. The Mayor had expressed the view that conscription would be a good thing, and looked forward to the time when it would be a realised fact; but with all due deference to the Mayor’s views, it would at any rate be a great step to see conscription in this country. We were a great trading nation, and there was no doubt that conscription in this country would mean a great handicap upon our commercial undertaking. When last he had the honour of speaking in that hall the war had just begun. One week had brought to them news of three considerable reverses in different portions of the area of the war. The news of the disasters at Stormberg, Magersfontein, and Colenso had reached them and made them realise the desperate character of the struggle in which they were engaged. Faces in England at that time were blank. The war, it was true, was still dragging on, but it was a war of very different kind to what it was then. It was mere guerrilla warfare, and our soldiers who were out there now were not employed fighting against any organised resistance, but in the uncongenial task of hunting Boers who refused to stand when they were met. They had had many lessons to learn during the last 18 months; but one thing stood out above all others, and that was that Englishmen were the same today that they were a hundred years ago. (Applause).
Captain Bucknall, Captain Whitcomb, and Dr J.H. Wilkinson (all recently returned from South Africa) also responded.
PRESENTATION OF MEDALS.
The Mayor od Dudley then presented the medals and addresses. The medals were of gold, and shield shaped, bearing a suitable inscription, and intended for watch chain pendants; and the addresses were framed and illuminated, and signed by the Rev. A.G. Maitland (chairman of the Reception Committee), and Mr E. Grainger (Mayor of Dudley). The addresses, which were the work of Mr E. [illegible], ran as follows: – “The people of Dudley with one heart welcome you home from the front. We wish to express our appreciation of the splendid example you have given by so readily volunteering to go out to the war, and the admiration we have of the brave services you have rendered to your country on the battlefield. We thank you for maintaining, together with your 26 comrades from amongst us, the patriotism and loyalty of Dudley in the present war; we congratulate you on your safe return and give you our best wishes for your future welfare and prosperity. We ask you to accept this address, together with a commemorative gold medal, on behalf of the people of Dudley”.
They had no nurses present, but they did not forget them - (applause). Nurses Peers, Shelley, and Slater - (renewed applause). They had the whole of their ambulance men present with the exception of young Clarkson, whose body rested in South Africa. They did not forget him in their hearts, because he was equally loyal and brave with those who were present to receive honour. They had the whole of the volunteers with the exception of young Hartland, who, he regretted to say, was detained in Netley Hospital with an attack of jaundice. .......
....... The Mayor then presented illuminated addresses and gold medals to the following: –
Volunteers: Lance-Corporal J. MASON, Privates J. YATES, J. JONES, and D. HARLAND.
Imperial Yeomanry: THE EARL OF DUDLEY, Lieutenant G. THOMPSON, Troopers FRIZELLE, RHODES, HINTON (Kingswinford), DUNN, STREET, GOODREDS, HOLLAND, and H.C. JOHNSON.
Nursing Sisters PEERS, SHELLEY, and SLATER.
