State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Departure
Date of presentation: 27/04/1900
Number issued: 4
Gold medals, to:
4th Victorian (Imperial Bushmen's) Contingent –
468 Private Robert CLINTON
371 Private James McMillan GOOD
311 Private Gilbert Benjamin YOUNG
5th Victorian (Mounted Rifles) Contingent –
1653 Private Alfred John NEWTON (severely wounded, Wilmansrust, 12/06/1901)
Presentation made by Mr H. Rawson, M.L.A., at Mentone.
A gift from Mr H. Rawson, M.P.
Obverse: "__________ From H. Rawson, M.P."
Reverse: "South Africa 1900. Guard well Australia's honor"
The solid centres of the medal bear the inscription, and from this "radiate eight long points enclosed in a circle".
Supplied by Mr C. Leaney, Kyneton.
On his return Private Young received a second medal from Lancefield.
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Kyneton Observer, 28th April 1900
The gold medals, or pendants, presented by Mr Rawson, M.L.A., to the four young men from the district who have joined the Imperial Bushmen’s Regiment, and whose departure was not marked in any practical fashion by their fellow residents, were on exhibition on Thursday. The medals were supplied by Mr C. Leaney, and are handsome and intrinsically valuable specimens of the goldsmith’s art. They are identical in size and in exquisite design. The solid centres of the medal bear respectively the names of the recipients, Messrs J. GOOD, A.J. NEWTON, R. CLINTON, and G.B. YOUNG, above the words “From H. Rawson, M.P.” The other side of each bears the inscription “South Africa, 1900. Guard well Australia’s honor”. From each centre radiate eight long points enclosed by a circle. Mr Rawson’s kindly thoughtfulness for the young Bushmen, whose departure otherwise would have been unmarked, is the subject of much friendly comment. Mr Rawson yesterday journeyed to Mentone, where the Bushmen were assembled, and last evening presented the medals.
Melbourne Age, 21st June 1901
KYNETON, Thursday.
Private Alfred John NEWTON, of Rededale Junction, a nephew of Mr H. Burnell, of Kyneton, who was severely wounded at Wilmansrust, was one of those to whom Mr Rawson, J.P., presented gold medals on the eve of their departure for South Africa. Among the killed are Privates W.A. SMITH, son of Mr T. Smith, of Elphinstone, and a grandson of Mr Smith, rate collector for Metcalfe shire council; Private R.M. THORNTON, son of Mrs Murdoch, a former resident of Trentham, and brother of Mrs W. Byrne, of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham; and Private G.W. STRATTON, a cousin of Mrs J. Haukinson, of Kyneton.
Melbourne Leader, 22nd June 1901
Troopers Severely Wounded.
Trooper Alfred John NEWTON is 22 years of age, single, and he resided at Bendigo with his parents at Myrtle Street. He was one of those to whom Mr Newson, J.P., presented gold medals on the eve of their departure for South Africa.
