State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 03/12/1901
Number issued: 1
Gold medal, to:
PRESENTATION TO CORPORAL SYDNEY HICKS.
On Tuesday evening the friends of Corporal HICKS met in the Court-house, Eldorado, for the purpose of presenting him a gold medal (described below) and a purse of sovereigns. It will be remembered that Corporal HICKS was invalided home some months past owing to a severe wound in the knee, and has been receiving medical treatment in Melbourne, and is now on the progressive side.
Mr Hiram Horrocks, who presided over the meeting, eulogised Corporal HICKS for his courage for venturing on so arduous a task as the South African campaign, and returned to him the thanks of the meeting for having done his duty as a soldier and a man. He had much pleasure in making the presentation on behalf of the residents as a token and feeling of respect towards his return home again.
Corporal HICKS, in responding, thanked the people of Eldorado for their beautiful present which they had made him. He stated that though he valued the medal greatly, he valued much more the esteem of his fellow-townspeople. He had only done what he considered to be his duty, and stated that had it not been for his wound he would still be fighting with his mates.
Mr Ranson was called upon to say a few words. He gave a short account of the work performed by the Australian soldiers during the war, and pointed out that though at first it was mooted by many that the Australians would be handy to clean the pots for Tommy, many of us held a higher opinion of our boys than that, and he was pleased to say that our expectations were more than realised. In that affection and timely assistance, the colonies had welded Great Britain into one harmonious whole, and caused the outer world to look upon the Australians as a nation of fighters to be reckoned with in any future upheaval. Mr Ranson thanked Corporal HICKS for volunteering to be one of those who did so much for us to honor.
Mr Falconer stated that he had been in South Africa, and knew the difficulties to be mastered there, and complimented their guest and trusted he would soon be perfectly recovered.
Mr Simpson and Mr Young also spoke at length and highly endorsed the remarks passed by the previous speakers, and wished Corporal HICKS every success, and trusted he would soon recover.
Mr J.S. Martell, in responding to a vote of thanks to the Press by the chairman, had much pleasure in being present on such an occasion, especially where honors were due to one that had fought so bravely for his country, he was pleased to see Corporal HICKS in our midst again, and trusted that his injuries would not be of a permanent nature, and that he would long live to enjoy health and prosperity.
The medal presented to Corporal HICKS was manufactured by Mr Dunkley, Bourke Street, Melbourne, and is a beautiful specimen of art of the working jeweller, weighing 1 ½ oz. On one side a lion on a raised ground is represented on the rampage, with South Africa, and the years 1900 and 1901 inscribed above and below, over two Union Jacks crossed. The name of the birthplace of the recipient, "Eldorado", is inscribed on the top on the plain ground, and on the side the name of the recipient, &c., is engraved.WANGARATTA.
