State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 03/07/1901
Number issued: 1
Gold Maltese cross, to:
1st Victorian Mounted Infantry Company [1st Victorian Contingent] –
Captain Samuel Thomas STAUGHTON, D.S.O.
Presentation made by the Rev. F.H. Gibbs, in the Mechanics' Institute, Melton.
In the form of the Victoria Cross, inscribed with Latin words for "King", "Law" & "Light", and with a central "X", representing Christ.
Captain Staughton appears to have received a second medal from the inhabitants of
Bacchus Marsh.
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Bacchus Marsh Express, 6th July 1901
On Wednesday evening the new Mechanics' Institute at Melton was crowded at a tea meeting and concert got up by the congregation of Christ church, Melton (Secretaried by Miss Rose Minns) in honour of the above-named gentlemen, and of Captain Staughton, D.S.O., the latter being presented with a Maltese cross medal in recognition of his services in South Africa.
……. The Rev. F.H. Gibbs then presented to Captain Staughton, D.S O., on behalf of the congregation, a gold medal, which he said was a replica of the Victoria cross, in gold. He explained that it bore Latin words meaning King, law, and light, with the central x representing Christ. It was thought to be a suitable recognition of Captain Staughton's services as a military man and as a vestryman of Christ church, Melton. He was sure that if he ever went to war again it would only be for want of opportunity if he did not receive the Victoria cross itself. (Applause).
Captain Staughton said he would treasure the medal as one of his most precious possessions. When on the veldt last year he often thought of Melton. He had the good fortune to go through a very arduous phase of the war, with the First contingent, and to come back unharmed, but some of his comrades had not that good fortune, and he always felt on these occasions that a handsome national memorial should be erected to their memory. He also wished to say that the British army was worthy of all admiration, and without its enormous efficiency the 15,000 or so of Australians could have achieved very little. He felt proud to think that they had been of material assistance, and that the whole army, and the mother country, most generously recognised this to be the case.
