State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 30/07/1901
Number issued: 28
PROBABLY QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDALS
Medals, to:
372 Private Ernest William WHITTAKER [Whitaker]
??? Private MORRIS (441 Private Frederick Morris OR 545 Private Henry Robert Morris)
The 3rd & 5th Contingent medals were not ready and were presented at a later date.
Presentation made by Major-General Downes, in the Barrack Square, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.
HOME FROM THE WAR.
THE BRITANNIC CONTINGENT.
MARCH THROUGH THE CITY.
ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION.
Lieut.-Colonel Kelly, CB, and his Bushmen who returned from South Africa yesterday, were met by a crowd very large indeed, considering the weather and the disappointment experienced on Monday, and at every point the soldiers were accorded loud cheers of welcome. The contingent which had come by the transport Britannic landed at about 10 o’clock at the Port Melbourne Town Pier, marched to the railway station and travelled to the city by train. The march was commenced at Spencer Street railway station. The band of the Second Battalion Infantry Brigade under Bandmaster Riley preceded the soldiers. Major Parnell, A.A.G., followed immediately after and then came the contingent, with Lieut.-Colonel Kelly smiling acknowledgments to his friends in the crowd from the back of his old grey charger, with which he was so frequently identified prior to leaving for the war. The members of the contingent, as regards uniform, were the most motley lot who have yet returned. Scarcely any two had hats alike, and until yesterday it was difficult to believe there were so many distinct shades of khaki. Every type of boot was represented, and several men wore ordinary hats with other portions of uniform. One trooper returned in full civilian clothing, and marched with his comrades in that guise. The troops proceeded along Collins Street, turning into Swanston Street, and across the river to the Victoria Barracks. Prior to leaving the Britannic Lieut.-Colonel Kelly had remembered his old horse and placed in his pocket several lumps of sugar. On dismounting at the barrack square he followed his old practice, and gave these to the horse. The animal seemed to recognise the return to the custom so long interrupted, and nestled his head beside his owner's cheek affectionately.
In the barrack square a table stood, covered with a Union Jack, and around it were the Victorian military commandant (Major-General Downes), Major Parnell, A.A.G.; Colonel Templeton, Lieut.-Colonel Hacker, Lieut.-Colonel Perrin, Major Watson, Major Irving, Lieutenant Mailer, Lieutenant Gipps, the Speaker of the Victorian Assembly, and Mr Piesse, M.H.R., of Tasmania. After briefly addressing the soldiers, the commandant presented the medals to Lieut.-Colonel KELLY, C.B., Lieutenant ULBRICH, Q.M.-Sergeant J. ELLIS, Corporal E. SEDUNARY, Corporals W. ROWAN, A.H. THORPE, and E. LEGERWOOD, Privates F.P. KOELOSCHE, E.P. ELLIGATE, P.J. POST, A. BAILEY, H.W. HARVEY, J. JONES, E.W. WHITTAKER, T. SPENCER, F.W. ALLEN, E.T. EDDY, all of the Australian Imperial Regiment. It was also intended to present medals to Corporal GREEN and Farrier BOWDEN, of the Australian Imperial Regiment; Privates FISHER and MORRIS, of the Third Bushmen; and Sergeant GREY and Privates EMMETT, COLLINS, STRIHE, KUHLE, HELLENS, and WILSON, of the Fifth Contingent. Their medals, however, were not ready yesterday.
The soldiers were then entertained at luncheon in the School of Instruction.
After loyal toasts, Major-General Downes, who presided, welcomed the men on behalf of the Ministry of Victoria. It gave him especial pleasure to greet Lieut.-Colonel KELLY, who had left the country about a year ago, and who had now come back wounded, but none the worse, and wearing the high decoration conferred on him by the King. (Cheers). He trusted the soldiers would return to their homes, settle down to peaceful pursuits, and fulfil their duties there as well as they had on the veldt. (Cheers). The courage of Australian troops and the cheerful manner in which they had endured hardships had won the respect of the Imperial army, and of their old friend, Tommy Atkins. (Hear, hear). The soldierly qualities they had exhibited would act as a lesson to foreign nations, and today any of these which might contemplate invading Australia knew well they would be entering a hornets' nest. (Cheers). He washed, in conclusion, to point out that the boat left at 4 o’clock, and he trusted none of the present contingent would be so foolish as the men in previous ones as regards missing the steamer. If they did, they would have to pay their passages out of their own pockets, and he would ask them whether it was worth £4 or £5 to listen to those who would ask them to stay. (Laughter).
Lieutenant-Colonel KELLY, who was received with loud cheers, expressed his thanks for the reception, and said he was proud that his contingent should have been welcomed in so splendid a manner. Regarding his men he desired to say that at the front, when the bullets were flying, one could not get better fighting material in the world than the Australian bushmen. (Cheers). But, stay a minute – (laughter) – when the common danger was wiped out he was not altogether a bed of roses. (Laughter). When the trouble was there the bushman was there, but the best man on the field was not necessarily the best man on a troopship. He had to learn that those little rules, which seemed vexatious, were for the comfort of all. That was what discipline meant. (Hear, hear, and laughter). He had been in many difficult places with his men, and he could not ask for better men to go into those places again. (Cheers).
Captain Lewis (Tasmania), Captain Jones (Queensland), and Lieutenant Elder (New Zealand) also responded, and the luncheon concluded with three cheers for Major-General Downes and the state of Victoria.