State: New South Wales, Australia
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 11/02/1901, 07/08/1901
Number issued: 2
11/02/1901 presentation
1121 [111] Trooper Felix John O'CONNOR (orderly to Major J.H.P. Murray, New South Wales Special Service Officer)
07/08/1901 presentation
460 Trooper Thomas SOWTER [Souter]
Presentation made by Mr W.J. Longford, in Granville Hall.
The O'Connor of Granville.
Welcome Home.
A public welcome, which was as genuine as it appeared enthusiastic, was accorded to Trooper F. J. O'CONNOR, the only real representative of Granville, who went with the New South Wales Contingents to South Africa, by the residents of Granville on Monday night in the Town Hall. The gathering was a good representative one, over which the Mayor (Alderman Mahony, J.P.) presided, and at which, amongst others to the number of about 80 persons, were Mr John Nobbs, M.L.A., Aldermen Wilkins, Finnegan, McAdam, Hewatt, Kay, Kirk; Messrs W.H. Windsor, Duncum, Hickey, Flowers, Rose, T. Haigh, Scarborough, A. Tetley, Wynne, H. Oberman, S. Guinery, Joseph Bennett, F.W. Barlow, J.J. Clark, Klein, Haydon, etc. Mrs Lockwood catered in her usual capable style.
The toast list was opened by the Mayor who proposed “His Majesty the King”. At these functions during his career, people had, he said, been so accustomed to propose the health of the Queen, that it seemed a strange thing to have a king to reign over us. However, he trusted that, according to His Majesty's promise, he would follow steadily in the footsteps of his good and noble mother and that he might have a happy, prosperous and peaceable reign. (Cheers).
The National Anthem was sung and cheers given for the King. “The Parliament”, coupled with the name of Mr John Nobbs, M.L.A., was proposed by Alderman McAdam, and acknowledged by Mr Nobbs, who referred to the present important crisis in Australian political life, in which certain changes had been effected in the Government of the local affairs, which removed the larger questions of the welfare of Australia to the region of Federal politics.
The Mayor proposed “The guest of the evening — Trooper F. J. O'CONNOR”, stating that no words he could say would do justice to the toast. Their friend, Mr O’CONNOR, had held the esteem of the whole of Granville. There were some misgivings when he went away, but the hope that was expressed at his send-off concerning his return had been realized and he was pleased to see such a large gathering to welcome him back again. They were doing the right thing in honoring the only representative of Granville who went to the front — a representative who had helped to show, with his comrades of the New South Wales forces, that the Australian young men had the same stamina as the Britons of yore, and bravery equal to that of the bravest men that the Empire could send forth to battle. (Loud applause). It would take an hour from a good speaker to do justice to the guest of the evening, and as others would no doubt like to have a word to say, he would content himself with presenting to Trooper O'CONNOR on behalf of the residents of Granville, a gold medal as a token of the appreciation in which he was held by them.
The inscription reads — “Presented by the citizens of Granville to Trooper F. J. O'Connor on the occasion of his welcome on his safe return from the South African war. J. Mahony, Mayor”.
Alderman W. Kay assured Mr O'CONNOR of his personal joy in seeing him returned safely and soundly. Mr O'CONNOR had been well-known in Granville for a number of years; but apart from his general sociable characteristics, he made friends wherever he went, and his welcome home that night was the outcome of a true feeling of friendship.
Mr W.H. Windsor said his presence was a sufficient guarantee of his welcome. During his absence at the war, very many had felt a keen anxiety for Mr O'CONNOR's welfare. Mr O'CONNOR went to fight for his Queen (of whom now the Empire was bereaved) with others of his Australian countrymen, and all honor should be given to those who had done such work. Many of those who went forward had seemed to bear a charmed life. But it did not seem to him to be so much to a charmed life that their escape was due, as to a clever adaptation of warfare that enabled them to cope with the enemy at their own game.
Alderman Finnegan said that when he witnessed Mr O'CONNOR's going away, and the affectionate farewell and leave-takings, it had considerably softened his heart towards him. But since Mr O'CONNOR had returned, he fancied he had grown a bit softer at heart, for he thought a great deal of their mutual friend, the guest of the evening.
Mr Flower said that the occasion was a unique one in their experience. He had gone to some little trouble to be present that evening to make one in welcoming Brother O'CONNOR home. He (the speaker) had had a South African experience, but it bad been the very reverse of Mr O'CONNOR's experience. His three trips to that country bad been for pleasure — Mr O'CONNOR's had been more serious. He had known Mr O'CONNOR since he came to Granville. During that time he had only had the relationship with him as a friend. He would not like to have had the experience of an enemy who might perchance have met Trooper O'CONNOR on the veldt. (Applause). He was glad to see him back again, and no one was more pleased than he. Their guest had a dear wife and children who had been anxious during his absence, and all were glad that nothing serious had happened to him.
Mr F.W. Barlow, and Mr. Duncum also spoke a few congratulatory words.
Mr J.J. Clark, as one who had worked in many social movements with Mr O'CONNOR, could not let the opportunity pass without saying how much he had missed his friend Mr O'CONNOR.
Alderman McAdam said it was no trouble to say a few eulogistic words as their hearts were so full; but it appeared as though they were Boers and actually bombarding Mr O'CONNOR. Any man ought to be proud of having served in this last war. He did not think any troops had had higher encomiums passed upon them by any English general than Lord Roberts had passed upon our Australian young men. The Australians had acquitted themselves nobly.
Messrs J. Bennett and Hickey and Alderman Hewatt also spoke, and the toast was musically honored.
Trooper O'CONNOR was greeted with a roof lifting cheer — all the company rising. He said that after the eulogies passed upon him he hardly knew how to express his thanks. He went away with the intention of holding up his end of the stick in conjunction with his comrades, and he thought they had done their duty to the best of their ability. (Applause). It would be remembered that a year or two back they formed a detachment of the Irish Rifles in the district. It was then said that they were only tin-pot soldiers, and were afraid to go to the war when the call came. He took up the cudgel on behalf of the men and approached Major (now Lieut.-Colonel) Murray, and expressed a wish to go to the front. He was successful in getting away. The representatives of the regiment who went away did well. They were at first intermixed with British troops, and were told they were going out with them; that one year's service would make soldiers of the colonials. They went out; but the Britishers couldn't teach the Colonials anything— (applause) —in fact, the Colonials taught the Britishers a good deal. (Cheers). He would not say that that was meant to be a reflection upon Tommy Atkins. Tommy Atkins was a brave man; and it was marvelous how he faced the most terrible fire of the enemy. As man after man fell the ranks closed up and continued to press forward in one solid mass. They mobilised at Bloemfontein, and went out with one hundred thousand troops under Lord Roberts, representing all the provinces of the British Empire. When mixed with those troops the Colonials held their own. And there was no man more pleased to be associated with Australians than Tommy Atkins. The advantage was all on the side of the Australians, and the secret of the Australians' success on the battlefield was that they were allowed more liberty of action. Colonial officers gave their men credit for the possession of intelligence, and allowed them liberty to use it. Tommy Atkins, if sent out to scout, would stand at attention till he received his next order. (Laughter). Australians had the honor of fighting side by side with the finest men of Britain's army — men of Ihe reserves — men who had fought seven years with the colours; but the former had far more freedom. He was very pleased to be back safe and sound, but he bad had many escapes. In addition to many incidents that have already been published in The Argus interview with Trooper O'CONNOR, the latter gave some startling figures, from the pen of Howard C. Hillegas, war correspondent of the “New York World”, which he endorsed as absolute facts. “We were fighting foreigners, not the Boers”, said F.J. “A great deal bad been attributed to the Boers; but we were fighting representatives of all the known foreign powers of any standing”. Quoting Hillegas, he read as follows — “The influx of foreigners began simultaneously with the outbreak of the war. Of the French there were 300 organised, and 100 commandeered; Hollanders, 400 organised, 500 commandeered ; Russians, 500 organised, 200 commandeered; Germans, 500 organised, 250 commandeered; Americans, 250 organised, 150 commandeered; Italians, 500 organised, 250 commandeered; Africanders 8000 organised and the commandeered”. By those figures it would be seen there were upwards of 11,000 foreigners who were not Boers — well versed in the art of war, being led by some of the ablest men in the world. He might say, in conclusion, that he thanked the residents of Granville for their kind gift. He would treasure the medal as a memento of his first period of active service. He had applied for a commission to go out again, as Lord Kitchener called for more Australians, and he hoped that he would have an answer in a day or two. If he did go out again be would endeavour to uphold his end of the stick, and live in hopes of fulfilling the desires expressed that night of a return safe and sound. (Applause). Other toasts were “Municipal Institutions”, “The Press”, and “The Chairman”.
A Granville Soldier’s Welcome.
