Medals and awards

PRESENTATION TO ACTIVE SERVICE VOLUNTEERS.

HONOURING SELKIRK SERVICE VOLUNTEERS.

An interesting ceremony was performed in Selkirk Market Place on Saturday afternoon, this being the presentation of medals and watches to the Selkirk members of the Second and Third Volunteer Service Companies of the King's Own Scottish Borderers. A platform had been erected for the occasion, a considerable space around it being fenced off for the accommodation of the Volunteers, the Town’s Band, and the invited guests. Prior to the ceremony the Provost (who was accompanied by Mrs Russell), Magistrates, and Town Councillors met in the Town Hall, along with the invited guests, who included Lord Polwarth (Lord Lieutenant of the county) and the Hon. Miss Scott, Mertonn; Lieutenant-Colonel Sir R.J. Waldie-Griffith, Bart., of Hendersyde Park, colonel commanding the Border Rifles; Miss Rose Innes, Jedburgh; Sheriff Smith, The Firs; Professor Pringle Pattison of The Haining; Mr T. Craig-Brown, Miss Craig-Brown, and Captain Craig-Brown, Woodburn; Mr A.F. Roberts, Thornfield; Mr J. Pollock, Town Clerk; Mr C. Alexander, Upland; the members of the Comforts Committee, and the Active Service Men. As already indicated, the Selkirk Company of Volunteers, who were under the command of Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel J.S. Muir, occupied the space in front of the platform.

Provost Russell presided in the Market Place, and opened the proceedings with a few remarks. He said that the enthusiastic reception accorded to the First Service Men, on their return from active service, was fresh in the recollections of everyone. Their reception at the station, the crowded streets, the service in the Parish Church, and the assemblage in the Victoria Hall, were all events on which the memory lingered. Two years, great for weal or woe in our nation's history, had passed since then, and the long duration of the war had added further proof of the importance of the Volunteer forces, both home and Colonial, in maintaining the stability of our world-empire. (Cheers). The Selkirk Volunteers had played their part well. From their relatively small numbers, twenty-seven had seen active service in South Africa – three of them to their great honour be it said – on two occasions. They were proud of their local corps; they had shown themselves to be of the stuff of which heroes are made. (Cheers). He ventured to think that their ancient Market Place had seldom witnessed a more interesting ceremony than that which had gathered them there that day. They were met to render to the Second and Third Service Companies of Selkirk Volunteers all the honour they possibly could – honour which was unquestionably theirs. They had nobly maintained the traditions of this country's glorious past, and equally with the First Service Men had in the hour of their country’s need dared to do or die. (Cheers). To perpetuate a glory they would not willingly let die, the Town Council had resolved to place on the Mercat Cross a bronze tablet, in honour of their Service Companies of Volunteers, so that the names of these twenty-seven men might be handed down to coming generations. (Cheers). It was now his pleasing duty, on behalf of the two ladies who were to make the presentations, to ask the Service Men of the Second and Third Companies to accept in the first place of medals from the Town Council of that ancient and Royal Burgh and from the community; and in the second place to accept of watches and appendages from subscribers resident both in the town and in the county. (Cheers). In doing so, he would like to convey to them the appreciation in which their services were held by their fellow-townsmen. They would look upon these gifts as a token to remind them and to remind theirs in the days that were that come to their gallantry and their patriotism were held in the highest esteem. (Cheers). They trusted that their South African experiences would render them individually more fit for the wider battle of life which yet lay before them; and that they would be long spared to look back on the honourable part which they had played in these critical events in our national history – events which they trusted had determined for many a long day to come that righteous government should prevail for men of all nationalities in those lands which had been recently annexed to the British dominions. (Cheers).

The Active Service Men ascended the platform as their names were called out by Sergeant-Instructor Middlemiss, and the medals were pinned onto their breasts by Mrs Russell, who performed the duty at the request of the Town Council, while Miss Craig-Brown presented them with the watchers on behalf of the Comforts Committee. The men were: – Corporal Adam HENDERSON, Lance-Corporal Thomas JOHNSTONE, Privates William DONALDSON, James GRIEVE, John HENDERSON, John IRVINE, James NICHOL, Richard RENWICK, Thomas STODDART, Robert BEATTIE, Thomas FAIRBAIRN, Thomas SCOTT, George SCREEN, William YULE, Sergeant-Cyclist John LINTON, Cyclist John KEMP, Trooper John JOHNSTONE, Trooper James GRAHAM – the two latter having been members of the Scottish Horse. The two first named, who were out in South Africa twice, and therefore received medals along with the other members of the First Service Company, had a bar added to their first medals and also received gold pendants, while the two troopers received watches only. Sergeant George LAWRIE, another Volunteer who was out on two occasions, has remained in South Africa, as have also Privates LAUDER and BROWN, of the Second Service Company. After receiving their gifts, the men took their stand at the back of the platform, and when the ceremony proper was concluded, three hearty cheers were given for them, on the call of Provost Russell. The medals bore the following inscription: – “To ________, on his return from active service in South Africa. June 1902”. The watches were inscribed thus: – “To ________, I Company Border Rifles, from Burgh and County of Selkirk, in recognition of his services in the South African war. September 1902”.

Sir R. Waldie-Griffith, who was loudly cheered on rising, replied for the Volunteers, and expressed the great pleasure it gave him to do so. He said he felt that on one point he was rather a fraud – he was not out in South Africa himself. (Laughter). He was very anxious to go, but he supposed they had not room for him. (Renewed laughter). These gallant fellows behind him had, he believed, done everything that could possibly be done by any soldier out there. (Cheers). The letters he had received from the colonels and majors and other officers of the K.O.S.B. had been full of praise of the creditable way they did their work – both the severe work of marching and camping, and also fighting. “Steady as veterans, good all through”, was what he heard of the Volunteer Company at Vlakfontein. (Cheers). One thing even more important than the men in a Volunteer battalion, well as they might do their work, was the employers of labour in the country, who allowed the men to go out to South Africa, and took them into their employment again when they came back. (Hear, hear). They could not get on as Volunteers without the encouragement of the employers of labour; and without them the Border Rifles could not hold the position they did among the selected battalions of the Field Army. He knew it was a very severe strain on the employers of labour, but they nobly answered to it, and now the Border Rifles had been two years in that honourable position. He hoped the employers of labour would remember that if by any chance they got below the requisite number of 505[?], they would lose their place and never get it again. It was a very serious thing to look at, but he was sure each one would feel it to a certain extent as a disgrace to himself if it did happen. He sincerely hoped they would remember that, and if at any time when their men asked away, if there was a doubt as to whether they could get [away], he hoped they would let them go. (Hear, hear). There were twenty-seven smart chaps who went out to South Africa from Selkirk. While almost every company in the regiment did well, it might be asked why twenty-seven had gone out from Selkirk. The reason was they were qualified by being the best shooting company in the battalion. They were all men who had passed the shooting test; they were marksmen of those days, first-class shots of today, and they were entitled and able to go out. There was many a smart, active, good man offered himself from other companies, but who had not taken the trouble to perfect himself in his shooting, and he had therefore to stop at home. The Selkirk Company, however, attended to this department, and tremendously to its credit, was able to send out twenty-seven men. (Cheers). He hoped the company would keep up its high standard, as Lord Roberts had issued an Army Order pointing out the necessity of our army being able to shoot well. Continuing, Sir Richard said he would like to thank most heartily indeed the public of Selkirk – the people who had come round there that day to see the medals and watches given away, and who were very largely composed of men who had seen service in the Volunteers. He would like to thank them for all they had done, not only those in Selkirk, but also those all over the Borderland. He would like especially to thank an old Volunteer who had worked very hard in getting up these presentations – Mr T. Dunn. (Cheers). He was glad to see that was a popular name in Selkirk, as it should be. He had now come to what he might call the graceful part of his speech, to thank Mrs Russell and Miss Craig-Brown for having presented the medals and watches to these men of the Service Company. (Cheers). He had sometimes thought that the ladies of Great Britain had been somewhat neglected in connection with the war. He knew, perhaps better than many a man, how well and how hard the ladies had worked on these comforts committees. How from Lady Dalkeith downwards all through the counties ladies had worked with their own fingers, as well as collected things, and sent them out to the front. They really did an immense amount of work, and he knew very well that the Service Company of this battalion was better off than any other company in any other battalion in the service. Miss Rose Innes – (cheers) – had worked very hard indeed in sending out comforts, as had also Mrs Russell and Miss Craig-Brown in that town. (Cheers). He thought some decoration should be given to these ladies for their services, and he should be glad to see it done yet. Sir Richard concluded by calling for three cheers for the ladies who presented the medals, which were cordially given.

Lord Polwarth also addressed the gathering. He said they were certainly met upon a very memorable occasion, and one which would not really pass away from the memories of all who were gathered in the Market Place of that ancient burgh. They had met to do honour to the Volunteers who had been out to South Africa fighting their country’s battles, and well they deserved the honour. They had come back, and they were glad to see them, to meet them, and to see them receive upon their breasts the medals which would remain as tokens to all the country, and through all their lives, of the good service they had rendered to King and country and the British Empire. (Cheers). He doubted not that every time they looked at their watches they would remember that very auspicious occasion. His chief duty that day was to call to their remembrance one who always took a great interest in the Volunteers, one who himself had recently come through a period of very severe trial, and who in the midst of it had manifested a courage and devotion to his country not inferior to any soldier on the battlefield. He referred to our gracious King, who, having passed through a severe illness, never in his time of trial forgot his people, his Army, or his Volunteers. (Cheers). He asked them to join him in giving three hearty cheers for the King. This was cordially responded to, and the Town’s Band played the National Anthem.

The ceremony was concluded by three cheers given for Provost Russell, on the call of Mr T. Craig-Brown.