State: Quebec, Canada
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 23/11/1900, 18/04/1901, 00/02/1902, 03/03/1902, 00/06/1902, 09/03/1903
Number issued: 34
Gold medals, to:
23/11/1900 presentation
"E" Company, 2nd (Special Service) Bn. Royal Canadian Regiment –
7610 Private George Harry BOLT (died, Naauwpoort, 01/06/1900 - medal forwarded to his father)
7613 Private Archibald Fergusson CAMERON (also served with the Canadian Scouts in 1902)
"F" Company, 2nd (Special Service) Bn. Royal Canadian Regiment –
7881 Private Henry Charles TATTERSALL
7805 Private James W. McTAGGART
Uitenhage Volunteer Rifles –
609 Private William W. MITCHELL
Presentation made by Mayor Lighthall, in the Victoria Hall, Westmount, Montreal.
18/04/1901 presentation
"E" Company, 2nd (Special Service) Bn. Royal Canadian Regiment –
7681 Private John PHILIPS [Phillips]
2nd (Special Service) Bn. Royal Canadian Regiment (Draft) –
7730 Private Alexander Shaw McCORMICK
"A" Squadron, 1st Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles –
155 Private Walter Page SULLEY
"C" Field Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery –
53 Gunner Herman MURRAY
"E" Field Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery –
521 Bombardier Percival Henry EVANS
Strathcona's Horse –
229 Private H. Meredith PERCY
2nd Brabant's Horse –
4336 Trooper Masefield E. KNOWLES
Presentation made by Colonel Sam Steele.
February 1902 presentation
"B" Squadron, 1st Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles –
365 Private Percy BARTON
Barton was invalided in September 1900 and discharged on 9 Jan 1901. Therefore, the dates on the medal do not tally with his service record. The Montreal Gazette of 4 Mar 1902 notes "Percy Barton, another Westmount veteran, who now resides at Chicago, was presented with a similar token of esteem several weeks ago, previous to his departure for Chicago".
03/03/1902 presentation
"E" Company, 2nd (Special Service) Bn. Royal Canadian Regiment –
7703 Private Samuel UPTON
Provisional Mounted Police –
382 Trooper George A. O'DELL
Kitchener's Horse –
23599 Trooper John C. NICOLL
Presentation made by Mayor Lighthall, in the Town Hall, Westmount, Montreal.
June 1902 presentation
1st Kitchener's Fighting Scouts –
1367 Trooper Frederick Baillie MINTO
1371 Trooper Herbert Baillie PERRY
South African Light Horse –
2426 Trooper George MARKS
"It is the intention of the Town Council to present the men with the souvenir medals commemorative of their work in the field" (Montreal Gazette, 03/06/1902).
09/03/1903 presentation
2nd Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles –
Lieutenant [Major] William RODDEN
Lieutenant Cradock Percy Booth SIMPSON
22 Private William ALEXANDER
427 Private Frank E. CROSSLEY
32 Private Thomas H. HANSON
39 Private Arthur J. SMAILL
4th Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles –
196 Private Percy Norman McDOUGALL
5th Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles –
44 Private Adam Sydney BELLINGHAM
6th Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles –
277 Private Ernest Vivian COOLICAN
214 Private Andrew George Rupert DARLING
10th Canadian Field Hospital –
31 Private Reginald MATLEY
32 Private Burnett K. SNIDER
Canadian Scouts –
40494 Trooper Robert George HUGHES
South African Light Horse –
2672 Trooper James MARKS
Presentation made by the Adjutant-General (Lord Aylmer) in the Victoria Hall, Westmount, Montreal. It had been intended for Lord Dundonald to make the presentation, but he was unavoidably detained in Ottawa.
KNOWN EXAMPLES HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN
Type 1 (1900).
Obverse: "TOWN OF WESTMOUNT CANADA / ANIMO FIDE".
Reverse: "PRESENTED / BY THE / TOWN OF WESTMOUNT / TO / [A.S. McCORMICK] / AS A RECOGNITION / OF HIS SERVICES / TO QUEEN AND EMPIRE / IN / SOUTH AFRICA / 1899 1900".
Type 2 (1902).
Obverse: "TOWN OF WESTMOUNT CANADA / ANIMO FIDE".
Reverse: "PRESENTED / BY THE / TOWN OF WESTMOUNT / TO / [PERCY BARTON] / AS A RECOGNITION / OF HIS SERVICES / TO QUEEN AND EMPIRE / IN / SOUTH AFRICA / 1901 1902".
Type 3 (1900; bronze).
Obverse: "TOWN OF WESTMOUNT CANADA / ANIMO FIDE".
Reverse: "PRESENTED / BY THE / TOWN OF WESTMOUNT / TO / [recipient's name left blank] / AS A RECOGNITION / OF HIS SERVICES / TO QUEEN AND EMPIRE / IN / SOUTH AFRICA / 1899 1900".
Type 3 may have been a specimen or trial piece.
The dates and motto on the 1902 examples are engraved, replacing the raised "1899 1900" & "ANIMO FIDE" on the first issue.
Note: The Montreal Gazette of 10 Mar 1903 states that 34 Westmounters had served in South Africa. Therefore one medal remains unaccounted for. An earlier edition of the Gazette (13/02/1903) gives the number of medals presented as 40, but this appears to be erroneous.
Private McCormick example sold with QSA through Dix Noonan Webb, 11/12/2013, for £2,300 (with damage to enamel)
Private Snider example sold through Dix Noonan Webb, 25/03/2014, for £800 (with damage to enamel). Subsequently offered for sale by eMedals, Canada, for $1,950 USD.
Montreal Gazette, 09/11/1900
Information provided by QSAMIKE
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Montreal Gazette, 24th November 1900
MEDALS PRESENTED.
Westmount Honours Its Sons Returned From South Africa.
The first annual concert of the Westmount Cadets was given in the Victoria Hall last evening before a very large audience, and proved a great success. His Worship Mayor Lighthall presided, and aided in making the occasion a grand reception and presentation of medals on behalf of the town of Westmount to the Westmount members of the Canadian contingent, H.C. TATTERSALL, Arch. F. CAMERON, and J.W. McTAGGART, of the Royal Canadian Regiment, and William W, MITCHELL, of the Uitenhage Rifles, who served in South Africa, and lately returned.
The programme provided by the “boys”, lead on by Cadet Sergt. Cecil Danford, was a very varied and excellent one, and under their able management, was carried out in the most perfect manner. The hall was decorated for the occasion with flags and appropriate mottoes, and everything done to add to the military spirit of the entertainment. In the part taken by the corps themselves were manual and firing exercises, under Cadet Sergt. Danford; bayonet exercise, under Cadet Sergt. McRobie; physical drill (and arms) to music, under Cadet Sergt. Bellingham; Miss Ida Innes playing the accompaniments with marked time and spirit. Sergt. Danford gave in good style the appropriate song, “The Man Behind the Gun”, and was warmly encored. Sergt. Bert Higgins showed the corps were also to the fore in dancing, and his clog dance, “The Irish Washerwoman”, was a great feature of the evening’s enjoyment. In the dancing list, Sergt. Higgins was closely pressed by the sword dance and sailors’ hornpipe, of Pipe-Major A.M. Fraser, who carried the enthusiastic audience away with him by the grace and vigour of his dances. Amongst the instrumentalists, Miss Mildred Cornell played most acceptably, as a piano solo, the brilliant “Pasquinade”, by Gottschalk; Mrs and Miss Clara Parratt played a selection from Wallace’s “Maritana”, on the harp and pianoforte, and were warmly applauded and encored, whilst Bugler Edward Parratt, of the Montreal Highland Cadets, won a warm reception for his violin solo, “On the Wing”, and for a repeat a march from Sousa’s “Charlatan”. The vocalists were Miss Mabel Langstaff, and Mr J.T.R. Hicks, and well did their delightful songs fill up the excellency of the evening’s programme. Mr Hicks gave, in splendid form, “The Old Soldier”, and “There’s a Land”, and received much well-merited applause. The honours of the evening were fully accorded to Miss Langstaff, whose charming presence and gifted rendition of her beautiful songs, “The Old Lock” and “Love”, were the theme of much admiration, whilst the sweetness of her selections and recalls were added to by the excellent accompaniments of piano, harp and violin of Mrs, Miss and Mr Ed. Parratt. It was, however, in the “Red Hussar”, in which Miss Langstaff appeared in the Gordon Highland uniform, and sang the solo, and the cadets the chorus, that she received the warmest applause, and capped the height of her successes.
Montreal Gazette, 28th November 1900
GAVE HIM THE MEDAL.
Mr J.T. Bolt, of this city, has received a medal from Mayor Lighthall, of Westmount, as a memento of his son Harry, of E Company, who died of enteric fever in South Africa. Had the deceased returned he would have received the medal personally, as did the other members of the contingent at Westmount. Accompanying the medal was a letter from Mayor Lighthall, in which he expressed his deep sympathy for the death of the young soldier.
Montreal Gazette, 19th April 1901
HONORS SEVEN SONS
Westmount Presents Medals to Returned Soldiers.
VICTORIA HALL THE SCENE
Colonel Steele, Introduced by Mayor Lighthall, Speaks of Good Work of the Canadians.
Twelve months ago, the town of Westmount honoured some of its sons who had returned from service in South Africa by presenting them with medals as souvenirs. Last night seven soldiers, who have just returned, were accorded the same honour, made additionally interesting by the presence of Lieut.-Col. Sam Steele, M.V.O., of Strathcona’s Horse fame, who made the presentations.
NAMES OF THE HEROES.
WALTER P. SULLY, joined 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, under Lt.-Col. Lessard. Had forty day’s fighting and took part in twelve general engagements; marched over 1,700 miles.
H. MEREDITH PERCY, joined Strathcona’s Horse and accompanied the regiment on the march through Zululand, served with the regiment until its departure for England.
MASEFIELD E. KNOWLES, served in Brabant’s Colonial Division for ten months and was through all engagements of the regiment during that period, at the taking of Bethlehem and surrender of Prinsloo and Olivier.
HERMAN MURRAY, served in “C” Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery, and was present as several engagements.
PERCY H. EVANS, joined “E” Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery, 8th January, 1900, and received his discharge 9th January, 1901.
A.S. McCORMICK, joined 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, on March 9th, 1900, forming one of the reinforcement draft, attached to an Imperial regiment at Kroonstad, Honing Spruit, and Rhenoster, took part in pursuit of DeWet under Gen. Kitchener, was present with regiment reviewed by Queen Victoria at Windsor.
JOHN PHILLIPS, served in 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, and was present at several engagements.
Montreal Gazette, 26th February 1902
MEDALS FOR WAR HEROES.
Westmount to Make the Presentations Next Monday.
At the meeting of the Westmount Council, which will take place next Monday afternoon, three of Westmount’s South African heroes: A.J. ODELL, John C. NICOLL and Samuel UPTON, will be presented with gold medals for services rendered in the South African war. Mayor Lighthall will make the presentation.
A number of Westmounters who have seen service in South Africa are now on their way home, among them being a son of Mr Minto, who served with the Scouts.
Montreal Gazette, 4th March 1902
MAYOR PRESENTS MEDALS.
Returned Soldiers Are Honoured at Meeting in Westmount.
The regular monthly meeting of the Town Council of Westmount took place yesterday afternoon in the Town Hall. Mayor W.D. Lighthall was in the chair, the following councillors being in attendance: Messrs Cross, Stevens, Bulmer, Rodgers, Walker, Graves, Beland and Legal Adviser M. Macpherson.
A motion was read by the chairman of the Police Committee to the effect that the council procure new summer clothing for the constables, and that tenders be advertised for. The motion was left over until a future date. A discussion also took place regarding the increase of salaries for the auditors, Messrs McGregor and Russell. Some members of the council thought that they were underpaid, while others maintained the salaries attached to the positions were sufficient. This will also be decided later.
The council also referred to the extremely low death rate in Westmount during the last month, it being only 9.38 per thousand.
During the meeting Mayor Lighthall, on behalf of the citizens of Westmount, presented Messrs George A. O’DELL, John C. NICHOL and S. UPTON, who have recently arrived from South Africa, with gold medals in appreciation of their services on the South African veldt for Queen and Empire. Mr Percy BARTON, another Westmount veteran, who now resides in Chicago, was presented with a similar token of esteem several weeks ago, previous to his departure for Chicago.
Montreal Gazette, 3rd June 1902
THREE WARRIORS ARE HOME.
Three of Westmount’s residents have returned from active service in South Africa, and it is the intention of the Town Council to present the men with the souvenir medals, commemorative of their work in the field. The returned soldiers are George MARKS, of the South African Light Horse, 4466 Western Avenue; Herbert PERRY, Kitchener’s Scouts, Greene Avenue; Fred B. MINTO, Kitchener’s Scouts, 4470 Western Avenue.
Montreal Gazette, 8th November 1902
Two young men of Westmount, who left in January as members of the Army Medical Corps, for South Africa, and returned in July, wrote, making application for the medals which the town has presented to the others of its sons who took part in the Boer war.
It transpired, in the course of discussion, that some others who had taken part in that campaign had not received the medal.
ARRANGEMENT FOR MEDALS.
Councillor Borland was appointed to look into the matter, and on the production of satisfactory proof of service, he was empowered to make all arrangements for the presentation of the medals.
Montreal Gazette, 13th February 1903
WILL HONOUR ITS HEROES.
Major-General Lord Dundonald will present twelve medals, given by the town of Westmount, to the rest of the Westmount boys who took part in the South African campaign. The town authorities have altogether presented forty medals. The presentation will take place at the third annual entertainment of the Westmount Cadet Corps, to be held March 9 in the Victoria Hall, Westmount. Two cadets will be among those who will receive medals. The military portion of the programme arranged for the reception of Lord Dundonald will be under the control of Captain Darlie Smith, of the Westmount Cadet Corps.
Montreal Gazette, 10th March 1903
MEDALS PRESENTED.
The presentation of the medals took place during the intermission in the programme. The following were entitled to receive them, and most of them were present, and, with one exception, wore their khaki uniforms. Each was loudly applauded as he stepped briskly and actively on to the platform to salute the Adjutant-General of the Canadian Militia, and to receive at his hands the token of Westmount’s appreciation of the services of each on the South African veldt: – Major William RODDEN, quartermaster, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles; Lieut. C.P. SIMPSON, 2nd C.M.R.; Cadet A.S. BELLINGHAM, 5th C.M.R.; Cadet Robert G. HUGHES, Canadian Scouts; Private William ALEXANDER, 2nd C.M.R.; Pte. E.V. COOLICAN, 6th C.M.R.; Pte. Rupert DARLING, 6th C.M.R.; Pte. Thos. H. HANSON, 2nd C.M.R.; Trooper James MARKS, South African Light Horse; Pte. Reginald MATLEY, 10th Canadian Field Hospital Corps; Pte. Percy N. McDOUGALL, 4th C.M.R.; Pte. Arthur J. SMAILL, 2nd C.M.R.; Pte. Burnet K. SNIDER, 10th Canadian Field Hospital Corps.
Mayor Cross, who presided, remarked that those who had just received medals formed a portion of the thirty-four Westmounters who went to serve the Empire in South Africa; the other twenty had already received at the hands of the municipal authorities similar tokens of the appreciation of the town of their self-denial and of their loyalty to their country. Westmount was proud of these young men, and it was gratified to be able in this public manner to testify its appreciation of their services on the field.
