State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 29/05/1901
Number issued: 5
Gold medals, suitably inscribed, to:
1st Victorian Mounted Infantry Company [1st Victorian Contingent] –
80 Private Francis Michael MEAGHER
2nd Victorian (Mounted Rifles) Contingent –
202 Private Daniel MEAGHER
199 Private Archibald Lachlan CAMPBELL
207 Private Frederick COUSTLEY
200 Private Robert COUSTLEY
Presentation made by David Laidlaw, in the Victoria Hotel, Hamilton.
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Melbourne Age, 3rd June 1901
HAMILTON. — Five of the Hamilton members of H Company, V.M.R., who have returned from South Africa, were tendered a welcome home at the Victoria Hotel on Wednesday evening by the Hamilton Patriotic Association. There was a large gathering, and Mr D. Laidlaw presided. The returned soldiers present were Privates Frank MEAGHER, Daniel MEAGHER, R. COUSTLEY, F. COUSTLEY and A.L. CAMPBELL. Each was presented with a gold medal. A number of toasts were honoured. Sergeant-Major Baker, in charge of the local company, remarked that H Company had sent eleven men in the First Contingent and eleven in the Second Contingent, of which number fire were dead and six had been wounded, two very severely, while two had been recommended for the distinguished service order.
Horsham Times, 4th June 1901
A welcome was tendered on Wednesday by the Hamilton Patriotic Association to five Hamilton soldiers, returned from the war. They were Privates Frank MEAGHER, Daniel MEAGHER, F. COUSTLEY, R. COUSTLEY, and A.L. CAMPBELL. Mr David Laidlaw, vice-president of the association, presented each guest with a handsome gold medal, suitably inscribed, the gift of the association. Sergeant-Major Baker, H Company, Mounted Rifles, said that the company had sent 11 men by the first contingent and 11 by the second, and had to deplore the death of five, while six more were wounded, two so seriously that they were likely to become pensioners. Of the remainder two had been recommended for the Distinguished Service Order.
