State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 11/09/1901, 04/12/1901, bef. 30/05/1902
Number issued: 25
Gold medals, to:
11/09/1901 presentation
1st Victorian Mounted Infantry Company [1st Victorian Contingent] –
10 Bugler Ormond William PLEASENTS
53 Private Christopher KILLEEN (absent - still serving in S. Africa)
2nd Victorian (Mounted Rifles) Contingent –
Chaplain-Major Frederick William WRAY
174 Lance-Corporal George Evelyn LYDIARD
179 Lance-Corporal Alexander MORLEY
180 Private Charles Edward CLEMENTS
175 Private John Sidney KITSON
178 Private [Corporal] Thomas Gardiner MALLETT
176 Private Peter PINDER
3rd Victorian (Bushmen's) Contingent –
387 Lance-Corporal Francis Christopher GORDON
568 Lance-Corporal [Corporal] James Matthew MOREY
438 Trooper Hugh Francis James HARTLEY
4th Victorian (Imperial Bushmen's) Contingent –
154 Sergeant-Major Henry George SAVAGE
149 Lance-Corporal [Corporal] Thomas William WEIBYE
148 Trooper Lewis Sumner WEIBYE
5th Victorian (Mounted Rifles) Contingent –
1467 Private John CHARLTON (died, Pretoria, 16/08/1901)
Victorian Contingent (unknown unit) –
???? Corporal MORRISON (absent - returned to S. Africa)
Presentation made by Colonel Tom Price, at a concert held in connection with the military tournament, Euroa.
04/12/1901 presentation
5th Victorian (Mounted Rifles) Contingent –
1317 Private John COWAN
Presentation made by Mr James Birkett, J.P., at the Euroa Hotel.
bef. 30/05/1902 presentation
5th Victorian (Mounted Rifles) Contingent –
????Sergeant McPHERSON (absent)
1468 Lance-Corporal David EVANS
1021 Trumpeter Windsor Herbert TICKELL
1251 Shoeing Smith [Trooper] William James BARTON
1039 Trooper Frank HALSALL (absent)
1092 Trooper John MAHER
1249 Trooper William MAHER
Presentation made by Major Pleasents, in the Public Hall, Euroa.
Trumpeter Tickell received a second medal from the inhabitants of
Footscray.
________________________________
Melbourne Argus, 20th August 1901
EUROA.
Over £60 has been subscribed as a souvenir fund for district soldiers. The bulk of this will be spent in commemorative medals, which will be publicly presented to the men at a military function in the early part of September.
Euroa Advertiser, 13th September 1901
PRESENTATION TO RETURNED SOLDIERS.
Perhaps the most fitting occasion that could possibly have been chosen for doing honour to our returned soldiers from South Africa was that of Wednesday night at the concert held in connection with the military tournament. The gathering was a most comprehensive and representative one, and doubtless the large majority of those present had contributed towards the cost of the handsome medal awarded to each soldier. As each man stepped upon the platform he was greeted with warm applause, re-doubled in honour of Colonel Tom PRICE.
The following were on the stage – Chaplain-Major WRAY, Sergeant-Major SAVAGE, Corporal WEIBYE, Corporal MOREY, Corporal MALLETT, Lance-Corporal MORLEY, Lance-Corporal LYDIARD, Lance-Corporal GORDON, Bugler PLEASENTS, Trooper WEIBYE, Trooper HARTLEY, Private PINDER, Private CLEMENTS, Private KITSON.
Medals were also supplied for – Corporal MORRISON (returned to South Africa), Private J. CHARLTON (died of enteric fever at Pretoria).
Medals are also available for the undermentioned, most of whom are still in South Africa. Farrier-Sergt. BARTON, Private C. KILLEEN, Trooper D. EVANS, Trooper McPHERSON, Trooper COWAN (wounded), Trooper J. MAHER, Trooper W. MAHER, Trooper HALSALL, Trumpeter TICKELL.
Colonel Price, by whom the work of distributing the medals was performed, said that he had a wish that the presentation might have been delayed for a few days in order that he might also have had the pleasure of announcing the promotion of Captain Pleasents to the rank of Major, for which he had undergone an examination that day. However, he trusted that it was a pleasure in store. (Hear, hear). Somehow history had a knack of repeating itself. The previous night he had the pleasure and privilege of seeing some of the returned soldiers dancing in that hall. He could tell them that, exactly that day twelve months, they were dancing to a different tune on the battlefield. (Applause). On that day, after a fierce fight on the 9th, they marched from 11.30 a.m. till half-past 4 a.m. the next day, without a bite or a sup. (Applause). It gave him pleasure to be there to present the medals so liberally supplied by the community, to indicate their opinions of the local men. It was not always the cry of the mob as to who were good men, and who were bad men, could be relied on, but when those who knew the men best gave them the greatest honour, it was of far more value than the voice of the multitude. He had lived with them in the South African campaign, and knew the privations and hardships they had gone through. He had read a great deal in the papers about deeds of valour and bravery on the battlefield, but this was mere drivel – all men were brave during a battle – but there had been little cry or applause for what he considered to be the finest action of their lives – their patience and fortitude in privation and hardships, cheerfully taking things as they came, and making the best of it at all times, and going then into battle with the same determined spirit. (Applause). It was a great pity that this display of patience and endurance was not more prominently brought out. He had read in letters published in the papers of most wonderful and exciting deeds, of forces galloping at a pace that would put to shame a Carbine (laughter). All that he could say was that no horse he or his company had could raise a gallop, excepting perhaps a lively jog trot when getting away from shell fire. The first contingent, he might say, fought the battles. The succeeding ones saw what he called scraps, but he had no doubt would have done quite as well had the opportunity occurred. It was unfortunate that the papers had reported tales of those wonderful gallops. and [illegible]. His contingent had all its horses killed but nineteen, and they were re-horsed several times, therefore those horses that they read about in the paper must have been marvellous ones. (Laughter). Those who had been through the campaign knew that none could have done these wonderful gallops, and he was prepared to swear they did not do it under shell-fire. The Australian contingents had been a splendid object lesson to the Empire and for ourselves. A Defence Force Bill had just been introduced into the Federal Parliament, and he held with every principle of it. (Applause). It was quite right that every man should be able to protect his country and women folk. (Applause). The time would arrive when every man would be fit to turn out at call. Speaking of his own command, he may say that though he at one time belonged to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers – a force that had not done too badly in South Africa – his heart came back to the men who had stuck to him through that campaign. (Applause). Those men who were brave as lions and patient as lambs. That was the second occasion on which he had spoken in that hall. The first was at the formation of the Mounted Rifles. The second, that evening, might be regarded as the result of that movement begun at Euroa years ago. (Loud and continued applause).
Euroa Advertiser, 6th December 1901
SOCIAL. – Pte. COWAN received a formal welcome home from South Africa, on Wednesday evening, when a number of the townspeople met at the Euroa Hotel, and passed a pleasant social hour. The handsome gold medal, provided by the public, was presented by the chairman, Mr James Birkett, J.P.
Pte. COWAN suitably acknowledged the souvenir. Major Pleasants and [illegible] White also spoke, and the toasts usual to such occasions were duly honoured. Pte. COWAN was wounded in the leg at the Wilmansrust disaster, a large portion of the bone below the kneecap being torn away by a Martini-Henry bullet, fired at ten yards’ range. He is still on crutches, and not likely to regain the use of the limb for some months to come.
Melbourne Argus, 30th May 1902
WELCOME HOME.
EUROA.
Corporal D. EVANS, Troopers J. and W. MAHER, W. BARTON, and Trumpeter TICKELL have been presented with medals by the townspeople, in recognition of South African services. The presentations were made by Major Pleasents, at the public-hall in the presence of a large gathering. Medals were also provided for Sergeant MACPHERSON and Trooper HALSALL, both of whom were unable to be present.
