County: North Yorkshire & West Yorkshire
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 31/08/1901
Number issued: 2 ?
A choice of medal (2), cup (5), watch (13) or cigar case (1), to:
Presentation made by Captain Francis E. Lane-Fox, on the Cricket Field, Otley.
Interestingly, Trooper Leyland's attestation paper describes the 57th (Buckinghamshire) Company as the "57th Wharfedale Company". A quarter of the Company was made up of Wharfedale men, suggesting that there was a Wharfedale Section. Why this formed part of the Buckinghamshire Company is a mystery.
The Bradford Weekly Telegraph (23/03/1901) carries a report of a public meeting held on 16th March 1901 to discuss the formation of a corps of "Wharfedale Scouts". Captain Lane-Fox promised to do all he could to form the proposed company, suggesting the formation of a rifle club, from which the best shots would be chosen to form the corps.
The Bradford Observer states that all those absent were to receive medals. This however contradicts the Wharfedale & Airedale Observer report.
It seems that recipients were chosen by Captain Lane-Fox for exceptional service - not all members of the troop received gifts.
Trooper Sharman received a medal from HARROGATE
SUGGESTED CORPS OF WHARFEDALE SCOUTS.
It was originally intended that the Most Hon. the Marquis of Ripon, Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding, should distribute the prizes. The gentleman was invited to be present, but wrote stating his inability.
The duty of making the presentation therefore devolved upon the Captain himself, who was dressed in khaki uniform, and wore the war medal presented to him by the King on the 26th of July. Unfortunately, the medals promised by the War Office did not arrive in time for the demonstration. About a week previous to Saturday the Captain received a telegram from headquarters that the medals were ready, and could be sent on. Captain Lane-Fox therefore wired for them to be forwarded, and in their place came a second telegram, stating that they were not yet quite ready. However, Captain Lane-Fox took advantage of the opportunity to distribute personal souvenirs to about twenty of the Wharfedale men, who had, in his opinion, well deserved some recognition. It is expected that the war medals will be presented at a later date. The Captain gave his men the choice of a medal, a silver cup, silver watch, or cigar case, all of the value of £2 each, and these were presented on Saturday to those men who were able to come to Otley. The names of those who either received or will receive medals are Sergt.-Bugler THOMPSON (Otley) and Sergt. WHITE (Menston); those who chose cups include Quarter-Master-Sergeant MOORE (Blackpool), Troopers PICKLES (Otley), WADAMS (Birmingham), PERRIGO (Otley), and LEYLAND (Skipton); watches, Sergt. BONSOR (Bradford), Sergt. BAGLEY (Ilkley), Sergt. WOOD (Thackley), Corpl. MILLER (Leeds), Corpl. Cameron ISLES (Bradford), Troopers LOVERING (Leeds), WALKER (Otley), POWELL (Otley), ROWAN (London), SHARMAN (Harrogate), LAMBERT (Otley), H. ROWAN (London), and RIDOUT (Guiseley). Lance-Sergt. HEALEY (Leicester) chose a cigar case.
The men present on Saturday included Sergt.-Bugler THOMPSON, Sergt. BAGLEY, Sergt. WOOD, Sergt. WORTHINGTON, Corpl. MILLER, Troopers PICKLES, PERRIGO, LEYLAND, SHARMAN, LAMBERT, LOVERING, WALKER, POWELL, ROWAN, PERCIVAL (Armley), BROWN (Bramley), J. ROURKE (Manchester), CAULDWELL (Manchetser), and WALKER (Otley).
....... Captain Lane-Fox, who was very warmly received, said – Ladies and Gentlemen, my men, it is a very happy occasion for me to be able to show a small amount of gratitude and appreciation of the efforts of those men who came forward to help me when I wanted to go out and fight for my country. These are some of the men who came forward in the moment of danger after the Stormberg and Colenso disasters, when things were looking very black indeed in South Africa. They fought well, and backed me up in all my difficulties, and, therefore, I have a special pleasure in showing some small amount of gratitude and appreciation. We are also very glad to show some sympathy with the cause of charity, and to help those who are down on their luck. If ever we can do that, the Wharfedale Yeomanry will always be ready to do so. (Cheers). I am not much of a [illegible] orator. I am only a beginner – (laughter) – but I came to tell you exactly what I feel. Although all my men have done well, these are some who have shown some of the best service. I regret that some are not present with us, especially Sergeant BONSOR, who is ill in bed. There are many others I should like to mention, but this is not the time. I may say that these presents are merely a personal gift from myself, and there is nothing official about them. I hope the men will always keep them, to remember their Captain, who, so long as he lives, will always take the greatest possible interest in their careers. (Loud cheers).
PRESENTATION TO THE WHARFEDALE YEOMANRY.
On Saturday a demonstration took place at Otley in aid of the medical charities. A procession, which was fully a mile long, included a contingent of the Wharfedale troop of Imperial Yeomanry, in command of Sergeant BAGLEY; and one of the most interesting features of the day’s proceedings was the presentation of a number of medals, cups, etc., to those members of the Wharfedale Yeomanry who had distinguished themselves by gallant conduct whilst on active service in South Africa.
It was originally intended that they should be presented with war medals, but although the War Office wired that these were in readiness, the officials failed to send them in time for the presentation. In lieu of these, Captain F. Lane-Fox, who commanded the troop in South Africa, gave each of his men the choice of a medal, a cup, a watch, or a cigar-case, and these were duly presented to the men on the field, the ceremony being watched by a crowd of between 4,000 and 5,000 people.
The medals, cups, etc., were then presented to the following men: – Sgt.-Bugler THOMPSON (Otley), Sgt. BAGLEY (Ilkley), Sgt. WOOD (Thackley), Lance-Sgt. HEALEY (Leicester), Corpl. MILLER (Leeds), Troopers ROYLE (Manchester), ROURKE (London), LOVERING (Leeds), WALKER (Otley), PICKLES (Otley), PERRIGO (Otley), BRITTON (Otley), SHARMAN (Harrogate), LAMBERT (Otley), and LEYLAND (Skipton).
