County: Fife
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 08/07/1901
Number issued: 3 or 4
Gold medals, to:
Inscribed: "Presented by the inhabitants of Anstruther to [Trooper John Clark], Anstruther, on his return from active service in the South African war. July 1901".
Presentation made by Provost Morton, in the Town Hall, Anstruther.
ANSTRUTHER.
PRESENTATION AND WELCOME TO THE VOLUNTEERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA.
In Anstruther Council Chamber on Monday afternoon, the Volunteers who have lately returned from the front Troopers John CLARK and Robert MATHEWSON [sic] of the Imperial Yeomanry, and Private Fred GRUBB, Black Watch Service Volunteers, were presented with gold medals subscribed by the inhabitants of Anstruther, in recognition of their action in volunteering for active service. Provost Morton, presided, and among those present were the Bailies Duncan and Wilson, Treasurer Duncan, Councillors Dr Wilson, Readdie, Dalzell, and McConnell, Ex-Provost Anderson, Mr Guthrie, Town Clerk, Messrs Watson and Murray, solicitors, Rev Mr Murray, Messrs Oliphant, Webster, G. Anderson, Reid, J. Young, Key, Donaldson, Burd, etc.
The Provost said they were met to give a welcome and a presentation to their three friends, Troopers CLARK and MATHEWSON [sic], and Private GRUBB, on their return from the war in South Africa. (Applause). After the appeal made from head quarters for young men to volunteer for active service, 4 young men belonging to Anstruther district offered their services and were accepted. (Applause). They all know what good work they had done with the regular soldiers in South Africa. They had endured many a hardship, but it was the universal opinion that our volunteers had behaved splendidly in action and had done well all through. (Applause). He had now to offer them, in the name of the inhabitants, these gold medals, and to express the hope that each of them would be long spared to wear them. He trusted they would always keep them in remembrance of the experience they had had of actual warfare in South Africa, and also serve to remind them that the inhabitants of their native town highly recognised their plucky action in volunteering for active service in the cause of their country. (Applause). …….
……. This war had cost a grievous loss of life, not only by wounds in battle but also by fever abd other diseases from which thousands had died. Many had come home maimed and crippled for life, and while they were proud and rejoiced to see their three friends in good health, they did not forget their other comrade, Private BAYNE, who now lay in Bloemfontein cemetery, and they again expressed their sympathy with his parents and relatives in the loss sustained by them. (Applause). …….
……. Dr Wilson proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Provost and Magistrates for getting up this meeting and presentation. He concurred in the statements that had been made of their young friends and hoped that their medals would be handed down to future generations to show what part they had taken in this great war. (Applause).
