Medals and awards

STEWARTON.

PRESENTATION OF MEDALS.

On Saturday evening last a meeting of the citizens of Stewarton was held in the Institute Hall for the purpose of doing honour to their fellow-townsmen who had so nobly responded to the call of duty in going to fight their country’s battles in South Africa.

Provost Mackie presided over a large gathering, and, after tea had been partaken of, the usual toasts of “King, Queen, and Royal Family”, “Army, Navy, and Reserve Forces”, &c., were duly honoured.

The most interesting part of the function, however, was the presentation of handsome gold medals to each of the gentlemen present who had gone through the campaign. The design of the medals, which was handsome, indeed, took the form of the Stewarton Coat of Arms, with an edging of Scotch Thistles, and the recipients were: –

Sergt. W. EAGLESHAM and Private H. BORLAND, of the Imperial Yeomanry; Private T. MALTMAN, 1st Camerons; Private W. LEMON, Scottish Rifles; Sergt. W. ROBERTSON, Royal Scots; Private H. WYLLIE, K.O.S.B.; Private John YOUNG, Buckingham Yeomanry.

Ex-Bailie Smith, in making the presentations, referred in glowing terms to the excellent manner in which each of the recipients performed his arduous duties during a long and trying campaign.

STEWARTON.

HONOURING RETURNED VOLUNTEERS.

In recognition of their bravery and patriotism in volunteering to serve their country in South Africa, Messrs John LOCHHEAD and John McCRAE were met by a large and enthusiastic audience of townspeople in the Institute Hall on Friday evening last. Provost Mackie presided, and besides the guests, was accompanied to the platform by Bailie Dunlop, ex-Bailie Smith, Councillor Cunningham, Messrs John J. Love, solicitor, Alex. Cunningham, jr., of Kersland, Tom Young, Viewfield, John Cassells, jeweller, and A.Y. Lochhead. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts had been honoured, the chairman expressed his extreme pleasure in presiding over the fine gathering that had met to do honour to their two fellow-townsmen who were their guests, and whom all were proud of. He needed not to enlarge upon the many trials and hard sufferings they had undergone while serving with the colours, but would just express his gratification that they had returned safe and sound in wind and limb. They were due the thanks of their native land for the splendid part they had played in bringing about this peace, a peace, he trusted, the benefits of which would extend over the whole of the British Empire.

Replying to the toast of the Imperial Forces, Lieutenant J.J. Love regretted that the efforts to raise a Volunteer company in Stewarton had not met with much encouragement from the War Office, who had not yet given their sanction to its formation, but expressed his confident hope that before the year was ended a Stewarton Volunteer corps would be in full swing.

In calling upon the guests to accept a gold medal, the gift of their fellow-citizens, ex-Bailie Smith eloquently and touchingly welcomed them back to their native town after an arduous and trying campaign. The recognition of the fact that Mr LOCHHEAD, who enlisted from Canada and served with Rimington’s Scouts and Damant’s Horse, hailed from an army of the empire which had in the past been one of our mainstays to a large extent, gave him the greatest pleasure, and he expressed the earnest hope that his future career would be victorious, not in the field of carnage but in the field of peace and harmony. To Mr McCRAE, who served under the colours of the A. & S. Highlanders, he said that, as the recipient of such a striking testimonial of the appreciation of his fellow-townsmen, he must feel greatly gratified. They hoped he would be long spared to wear this piece of gold and to go out and in amongst them with the feeling that his gallantry had been duly appreciated.