Medals and awards

CARLTON.

SMOKE CONCERT TO RETURNED SOLDIERS.

A most successful smoke concert was tendered last night at the Orderly-rooms, Grattan Street, Carlton, to Surgeon-Captain GRIFFITH, Captain HILL, Lieutenant STRONG, Sergeant FRAZER, Bugler-Corporal DWYER, and Troopers FRAYER, INWOOD, McCOLL, and EGAN, who have lately returned from the war. Councillor Hennessy, M.L.A., presided, and referred to the services which had been rendered in the empire's cause by Australian soldiers, at the same time welcoming the guests of the evening on behalf of the residents of Carlton. An apology from His Excellency the Governor-General, regretting his inability to be present, was read, in which His Excellency eulogised the magnificent spirit shown by Australians in the present campaign. He also expressed deep sympathy with the relatives of those who had lost their lives in the recent disaster at Wilmansrust. Apologies were also received from the Lieutenant-Governor, the Federal Minister of Defence, the Commandant of the Victorian forces, and others. Each of the returned soldiers was presented with a gold medal in commemoration of the part he had taken in the war, and the gifts were suitably acknowledged. Surgeon-Captain GRIFFITH, in returning thanks, gave a short resume of the work of Australian soldiers in South Africa. In illustration of the appreciation in which they were held by the Boers he related an anecdote, of which Lieutenant Douglas, of Tasmania, was the hero. That officer had been severely wounded, and was nursed back to convalescence by a Boer family. On leaving their farm, eight of the girls stepped forward and kissed him, saying, "Good-bye, Khaki, and God bless you".

WELCOME TO RETURNED SOLDIERS.

A number of soldiers who recently returned from the war in South Africa were publicly welcomed at an entertainment given in their honor by the citizens of Carlton in the orderly room, Gratton Street, last evening. In the absence of Mr D.V. Hennessy, M.L.A., Cr. Strong presided.

The toast of Our Boys was proposed by the Mayor (Sir Samuel Gillott) who spoke in eulogistic terms of the great services rendered to the Empire by Canadians, New Zealanders and Australians, and heartily welcomed the returned soldiers on behalf of the citizens. He trusted that the dream of the Late Mr Cecil Rhodes would soon be fulfilled, and that the Union Jack would wave over the whole of South Africa.

Colonels Robertson and Ballenger responded on behalf of the soldiers. Colonel Ballenger said that before the members of the Second Contingent went to South Africa, they were told that whatever the British Government did for “Tommy Atkins” would be repeated in Victoria, but unfortunately those were hollow words from the head of the Government. One officer he knew, who had lost his arm and a leg, got £70 a year from the British Government, but the Victorian Government gave him nothing.

The toast of the City Council, coupled with the name of the Mayor, was proposed by Colonel Ballenger, and responded to by Sir Samuel Gillott, Cr. Ievers and Cr. Cook.

The Mayor then presented gold medals to the following soldiers – Sergeants GATLIFF and KAROO, Corporals ARNOTT, O’DONNELL and KELLY, and Troopers GATLIFF, GYLES, LINACRE, RIDDOCK and STENNING. Specially addressing Trooper RIDDOCK, who had lost a leg, the Mayor said he felt sure that a grateful country would ever remember the sacrifice he had made and the sufferings he had to endure. He expressed his deepest sympathy for him, and his greatest admiration of the courage he had displayed.

Sergeant GATLIFF and others returned thanks for the welcome and presents. The former characterised as lies the adverse comments that had been made regarding the treatment of women and children by the British soldiers and Government. He also said that the food, clothing and horses from Australia were in most cases far superior to the supplies obtained from other portions of the globe.

The proceedings were enlivened by harmony.