State: Victoria
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 14/08/1900, 20/06/1902
Number issued: 2
14/08/1900 presentation
891 Lance-Corporal Norman C. PRIDDLE
20/06/1902 presentation
Corporal Thomas William WHITTAKER [Whitaker]
A DAY AT MITTA MITTA.
LANCE-CORPORAL PRIDDLE'S WELCOME HOME.
The round of festivities in connection with the return from the war of our soldiers was continued on Tuesday, when a happy gathering took place at the residence of Mrs Priddle, to do honour to that lady's plucky son, Norman, who had returned home invalided from South Africa a couple of weeks previous. The movement was initiated by Miss Stinson and Miss V. Levett, who had secured the hearty co-operation of the loyalists of Mitta Mitta. By nightfall about 150 people had congregated at Mrs Priddle's home, which was decorated with flowers and military emblems suitable for the occasion.
The Gundagai contingent, made up of Lieutenant Griffin, Lance-Corporal Hill, Professor Mahoney, and Messrs Walker, Egan, Machen, Elworthy, Hunt and Trooper LUFF, left town on Tuesday morning, and made Mr J.J. Grubb's hospitable home at Bongongo-long a half-way house en route. Here they partook of a sumptuous luncheon prepared by Mrs Grubb, and afterwards left for the long hill climb, piloted by Mr Grubb. Mrs Priddle's home was reached at 5 p.m.
The banquet was laid in the large room, and the tables, which were loaded with every choice edible in the calendar, were tended by the ladies of Mitta Mitta. There were nearly 150 people present, consequently the banquet occupied a considerable time. High good humour and jollity prevailed on all sides. An apology was received from Mr S.E. White for his non-attendance. Mr J. Lovett occupied the chair, and proposed the toast of "The Queen", which was heartily received.
Lieutenant Griffin proposed the health of "Lance-Corporal PRIDDLE", of whom they were all so proud for his deeds for the Empire. Such men, who went to distant lands to fight the battles of their Queen, were a credit to their country and their race. He was proud to have such soldiers as PRIDDLE, HILL and LUFF in his troop. What they had gone through and learnt would be of great value to the Gundagai troop of Australian Horse, than which there was no better troop in the whole regiment.
Sergeant M. Egan heartily supported the toast. Every man in the troop admired Lance-Corporal PRIDDLE for his many soldierly qualities, and they were pleased when it was known he was going to the war, as he would be able to show the stuff our men were made of. The gathering was a conclusive evidence of the esteem in which he was held.
Mr George Lovett was pleased to see so many "good sorts" present from Gundagai. "I am proud of PRIDDLE", said Mr Lovett, "and there are more Priddles ready, if required, to face steel in the battles of the nation".
Mr J.J. Grubb said that after the very rough experiences and hard fighting of Lance Corporal PRIDDLE in South Africa they were pleased to welcome him home to the bosom of his friends and relatives.
Professor Mahoney said Gundagai should be proud of the possession of such brave men.
Mr E.J. Walker also expressed his admiration for the conduct of our soldiers, who had faced war in all its ugliness and amidst all its vicissitudes and trials.
Mr Millington said their men had conducted themselves so valiantly as to evoke the admiration of the whole world. As raw recruits, untrained to active warfare, they had gone on to the field of battle and had acquitted themselves with a distinction quite equal to the seasoned "Tommies" of old England. The pluck of our officers and men had not escaped attention.
Mr Elworthy also supported the toast in appropriate language.
The Chairman then, on behalf of the residents of Mitta Mitta, presented Lance-Corporal PRIDDLE with a handsome gold medal, suitably inscribed, as a gift of admiration from the many acquaintances who had known him from his childhood. They wished to testify to his many good qualities as a young man and to his bravery as a soldier.
Lance-Corporal PRIDDLE, in returning thanks for the hearty reception of the toast and for the handsome presentation made to him by the friends of his native village, said he would ever cherish with feelings of gratitude the pleasure evinced by his friends at his safe return from the war. He would value their gift to the end of his days, and was proud that an opportunity had occurred by which he could serve his country.
Mr Ern. Priddle proposed the health of "The Visitors", saying how pleased the Priddle family were to see so many friends gathered round their hearth.
The toast was responded to by Lieutenant Griffin and Messrs. Hunt and Elworthy.
Sergeant Egan proposed the health of "Lance-Corporal HILL and Trooper LUFF", who, together with the soldier in whose honour the present gathering had assembled, had fought side by side and shoulder to shoulder, amidst the whistling of bullets and the roaring of cannon, on the battlefields of South Africa. They were trusted comrades in camp and in the field — men who shared their Joys and sorrows together. He felt proud to be called upon to propose the health of such brave men, two of whom — HILL and PRIDDLE — had experienced narrow escapes from death.
Lance-Corporal HILL and Trooper LUFF briefly responded.
Mr J.J. Grubb, as one who had known and had evinced a feeling of esteem for the Priddle family right from the days of his youth, proposed the health of "The Priddle Family", saying he had never met a better or more hospitable flock.
Mr Ern. Priddle responded.
Mr Millington proposed "The Ladies", and Professor Mahoney responded.
Sergeant Egan proposed "The Gundagai Times", a journal which, the speaker said, had taken up such a consistently patriotic and loyal attitude during the trouble in South Africa.
Mr Elworthy responded.
After the speechifying concluded the company sang the time-honoured "Auld Lang Syne", and the sentiment was genuinely pledged on all sides.
Dancing was then vigorously indulged in during the night to the strains of inspiriting music. Professor Mahoney as usual kept up his end famously and much of the later mirth of the night was due to his effervescent geniality. His fine singing attracted a coterie of admirers, who appeared to be glued to the piano corner. He was voted the "best of good fellows" by the people of Mitta Mitta.
A WELCOME HOME.
Corporal T.W. WHITTAKER, who has just returned from the seat of war, received a flattering welcome home from his numerous friends at his residence, Mtlta Mitta, on Friday, 20th inst. He was entertained at a banquet and social, over 80 persons being present. In glancing around the pavilion one concluded that no trouble had been spared to make the reception a success, the building being beautifully decorated with greenery, flowers, flags, &c.
Mr N. Priddle was in the chair. After the health of the King had been proposed and duly honoured, the chairman, in a neat and appropriate speech, presented Corporal WHITTAKER, on behalf of the Mitta Mitta people, with a very handsome gold medal, bearing a suitable inscription.
Corporal WHITTAKER, in reply, said that words failed him to express his thanks to his kind Mitta friends in presenting him with such a handsome memento, and it would be treasured by him wherever he went, and would serve as a tie between him and his many friends.
The health of the returned warrior was proposed, coupled with that of Trooper B. WARD, who was also present. In responding to the toast, Corporal WHITTAKER remarked that if required he was willing to go to any part of the Empire to serve his King and country. Trooper WARD also responded in a similar manner.
Mr J.A. Millington spoke in an interesting and instructive manner to the toast, as also did Messrs J.J. Grubb, F. Shaw, B. Cooper, J. McDonald, Jno. Hodge, and J. Smith.
The health of the parents was proposed by Mr J.J. Grubb, and responded to by Mr Whittaker, senior.
Mr Robert Whittaker proposed the Visitors, which was responded to by Messrs Dixon, Cooper, and H. Daley. The Ladies by Mr C. Luff, and responded to by Trooper WARD, of Cootamundra.
