County: Northumberland
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 21/05/1901
Number issued: 1
Medal & albert, to:
Volunteer Active Service Company, 1st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers –
7585 Private James HALLIDAY
Presentation made by Colour-Sergeant Redparth, on behalf of fellow Volunteers, in the National School, Wooler.
Private Halliday also received a silver watch from the townspeople of Wooler.
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Berwickshire News, 26th March 1901
WOOLER MAN AT THE FRONT.
A letter has just been received from Private James HALLIDAY, Wooler, who is serving with the 1st Service Company Northumberland Fusiliers, in South Africa. He writes from Hopetown, saying “We have been having a busy time of it. We did not expect to have any more fighting, but we have brought De Wet back into the Colony again. He is hard pressed, and I expect by the time this letter reaches you he will be caught. Our column is in touch with him. He has three thousand men. Plumer took 25,000 rounds of ammunition, a gun, 45 waggons, one waggon of big gun ammunition, and 150 prisoners. Some of the prisoners we captured told us that he was whipping his men. There will be some fun with De Wet this month, as we have our force all round him. Our column is holding him near Hopetown. It is slow murder going after him as hundreds of horses drop off every day while doing forced marches; it is a dreadful sight to see. They mean having him this time. It is the first time General Plumer has been after him, and he is going some good work. I am attached now to the Kimberley flying column, and we are about 100 miles from Kimberley. We leave here to take up another position, but cannot tell where it is. You will be glad to hear they are starting Lord Kitchener’s new movement. If it had not been the heavy rain he could easily have been caught, but we could never get our guns along the soft ground. I expect we will get way on the 17th of March, but I hope we get De Wet first. This is the second time I have been after him; the first time with Lord Methuen in the Transvaal.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 22nd May 1901
WOOLER VOLUNTEER’S WELCOME HOME.
By the last train on Tuesday night, Private James HALLIDAY, of the Volunteer Service Company of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, arrived in Wooler, and met with a hearty welcome. He was met at the railway station by his fellow volunteers and a large crowd, who, as the train approached, raised hearty cheers. He was drawn in a conveyance through the streets, which were gay with flags of the National School, where a meeting was presided over by Mr J.H.S. Main, who, on behalf of the townspeople, presented HALLIDAY with a silver watch. In doing so, Mr Main said they were pleased to welcome him home again. Colour-Sergeant Redpath, on behalf of his brother volunteers, then presented HALLIDAY with a medal and albert. Private HALLIDAY having returned thanks for the presents and for the kind reception they had accorded him, recited some of his experiences in South Africa. He said they had marched over 2,000 miles and done some hard work. He spoke highly of Lord Methuen as an officer.
Morpeth Herald, 25th May 1901
WOOLER.
Private James HALLIDAY, of the Volunteer Service Company of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers arrived at Wooler by the 8 p.m. train from Newcastle on Tuesday, and met with a cordial reception. The town was decorated with flags, and he was met at the railway station by the local contingent of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, under Colour-Sergt. Redpath and Sergt. Scott, and a large crowd of townspeople. The volunteers were drawn up on the platform, and as the train steamed into the station loud cheers were raised. Having shaken hands with the volunteers present, HALLIDAY was hoisted on to a flat, and drawn through the town to the National School, which was packed with an enthusiastic audience. Mr J.H.S. Main, who presided, said they gave Private HALLIDAY a hearty send-off, and they were met that night to welcome him home. They had every reason to be proud of him, and others who had come forward at the time of our country’s need. He had a pleasing duty to perform, viz., to present Private HALLIDAY with a silver watch, subscribed for by the townspeople of Wooler, and he expressed a hope that he would long be spared to wear it, and continue to be a credit to his King and country. – Colour-Sergeant Redpath then, on behalf of his fellow volunteers, presented him with an albert and medal, and in doing so he said he hoped he would be as good a volunteer in the future as he had proved himself in the past. – Private HALLIDAY, who appeared to be in the best of health, was enthusiastically cheered. Having thanked them for the very kind reception they had given him, and for the handsome presents, which would be highly treasured, he related some of his experiences in South Africa, in the course of which he said they had marched 2,000 miles, and done some very hard work. He spoke very highly of Lord Methuen as an officer. – A short concert of vocal and instrumental music was then proceeded with. Votes of thanks to the chairman and performers having been accorded, the audience joined heartily in singing “God Save the King”, which brought the proceedings to a close.
