State: Victoria, Australia
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 22/07/1901, 23/08/1901
Number issued: 9
Gold medals, suitably inscribed, to:
22/07/1901 presentation
1st Victorian Infantry Company [Victorian Mounted Rifles] –
79 Lnce-Corporal [Sergeant] Arthur Walker Joseph HUGHES
4 Corporal Alexander ROSS (K.I.A., Hobkirk's Farm, 12/02/1900 – medal presented to his father)
72 Corporal Francis Horatio SAMPSON
76 Corporal Jesse Jabe JACKSON
73 Private Robert McMINN
89 Private C.E. McMINN
71 Private James DUGGAN
4th Victorian (Imperial Bushmen's) Contingent –
441 Trooper William John CROWDER
Presentation made by the Mayor (Councillor G.W. Greenhill), in the Town Hall, Castlemaine.
Medal to Corporal Ross handed to his father.
23/08/1901 presentation
Bechuanaland Rifles –
Lieutenant John Charles Xavier McKENNA
Presentation made by the Mayor, after Lieutenant McKenna's lecture on the Siege of Mafeking, in the Town Hall, Castlemaine.
"They are nicely designed, having on then six stars, representing the six federal States, and the Australian coat of arms. On the opposite side the names of the recipients are engraved".
Supplied by Mr W. Embley.
Private Duggan received a second medal from the Loyal Devonshire Lodge, I.O.O.F.
In 1908, Duggan mislaid his medal and accused his wife of "making away with it". During the ensuing argument, Mrs Duggan became hysterical, and her brother (Francis Sampson - see above), believing that she was being murdered, assaulted Duggan. Duggan took Sampson to court for assault, but the case was thrown out, due to too much conflicting evidence.
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Bendigo Advertiser, 6th December 1900
WELCOME TO CASTLEMAINE SOLDIERS.
Castlemaine, 5th December.
The Castlemaine members of the first Victorian contingent have arranged to return to Castlemaine by Thursday night's express. They will be met at the railway station by the 4th Battalion Militia, and march round the town to the Town Hall, where they will be received by the mayor. Speeches will be made by Messrs E.D. Williams and H.S Lawson, Ms.L.A., and Colonel McCay. A charge will be made for admission to the Town Hall, the proceeds of which will go towards purchasing gold medals for the returned heroes. After the meeting the mayor will banquet the men and their fathers, as well as the officers of the 4th Battalion and the borough councillors. The Old Pioneers will, on a subsequent date, join with the A.N.A. in giving a smoke night social to the returned heroes.
Melbourne Age, 6th December 1900
CASTLEMAINE, Wednesday.
The Castlemaine members of the First Victorian Contingent will return here by Thursday night's express. They will be met at the railway station by the 4th Battalion Militia, to which they belonged before leaving for South Africa, and be escorted to the town hail, where they will be formally welcomed by the mayor. Speeches will be made by Messrs E.D. Williams and H.S. Lawson, M's.L.A., and Colonel McCay. A charge is to be made to the public on entering the hall for the purpose of purchasing gold medals and presenting them to the returned soldiers. After the meeting the mayor's, banquet will be held. The Old Pioneers' Association has resolved to join in with the A.N.A. in giving a monster smoke night social on a subsequent date.
Bendigo Advertiser, 13th July 1901
PRESENTATION MEDALS.
Castlemaine, 12th July.
The gold medals, to be presented to the Castlemaine contingent, who proceeded to the Transvaal with the first colonial corps, have been completed by Mr W. Embley. They are nicely designed, having on then six stars, representing the six federal States, and the Australian coat of arms. On the opposite side the names of the recipients are engraved. The names are: — Messrs A. HUGHES, J. JACKSON, R. and F. McMINN, F. SAMPSON, and J. DUGGAN. The medal that would have been presented to Corporal ROSS (had he survived the fight at Rensburg) will be presented to his father.
Melbourne Age, 24th July 1901
CASTLEMAINE. — A banquet was given on Monday night by the mayor (Cr. G.W. Greenhill) to the Castlemaine soldiers who have returned from the war. Among the guests were the Parliamentary representatives of the district, Major Field and Captains and Adjutants Pendlebury and Newell. Handsome gold medals were presented to Sergeant HUGHES, Corporals SAMPSON and JACKSON, and to Privates DUGGAN, E. McMINN, R. McMINN and Trooper CROWDER.
Bendigo Adbertiser, 26th August 1901
THE SIEGE OF MAFEKING.
Castlemaine, 24th August.
Lieutenant C. J. McKENNA, a native of Castlemaine, who, as a lieutenant in the Bechuanaland Mounted Rifles, took part in the memorable defence of Mafeking, under General Baden-Powell, gave a lecture in the Town Hall on Friday night on the siege of Mafeking. The mayor presided. There was a good attendance, some 120 being taken for admission, in aid of the charities. The lecturer, who is a clever sketcher, by means of chalk and a blackboard, drew a plan of Mafeking and its defences, also showing the Boer forts surrounding it. He gave a realistic description of the attacks on, and the shelling of, the town, and of the gallant sorties by the beleaguered garrison, and the great privations endured during the heroic defence. By means of photographic views taken on the spot by himself, and transformed into lantern slides, by Mr Verey, of Castlemaine, and reproduced by a limelight lantern, the lecturer gave his audience a very good idea of what occurred during the protracted struggle, and the damage done by the mighty 94lb. shells thrown into the town, and also the joy with which they eventually received their deliverers. He recounted numerous humorous incidents, and was heartily applauded throughout. Lieutenant McKENNA is a finely-developed young man, standing 6ft. 4in. At the conclusion of his six months' well-deserved furlough, he will return to his regiment in South Africa.
In thanking Lieutenant McKENNA for his lecture, the mayor presented the returned hero with a gold medal (similar to those lately presented to the Castlemaine members of the first contingent, who returned from the Transvaal) amid much cheering.
Melbourne Argus, 26th August 1901
CASTLEMAINE.
Lieutenant C.J. McKENNA, of Castlemaine, who, as a member of the Bechuanaland Rifles, was locked up in Mafeking during the siege, delivered a lecture on his experiences in the town hall on Friday night, in aid of the School of Mines and the charities. Lieutenant McKENNA is at present on leave visiting his relatives and returns to resume duty in a fortnight’s time. At the conclusion of the lecture, the Mayor (Councillor Greenhill) presented him with a gold medal, suitably inscribed, on behalf of the citizens of Castlemaine.
Bendigo Advertiser, 29th April 1908
RETURNED SOLDIERS AT VARIANCE.
CHARGE OF ASSAULT.
Castlemaine, 28th April.
Two returned South African soldiers, named James DUGGAN and Franc SAMPSON, who volunteered from the Castlemaine militia, and proceeded to South Africa with the first contingent, were before the Court of Petty Sessions to-day, the former charging the latter with assault. Two days before going to the Boer war Duggan married SAMPSON’s sister, and left his bride at home. After going through several engagements in which some of their contingent was killed, they returned uninjured, and were each presented with gold medals. The evidence showed that on the night of the assault DUGGAN missed his gold medal, which he prized very much, and accused his wife of having made away with it. A quarrel ensued, during which Mrs. Duggan became hysterical and screamed. Word was conveyed to SAMPSON that his sister was being murdered, and having had a few drinks he proceeded to DUGGAN's house to his sister's assistance, where a fight ensued. Mrs. Duggan, seeing that her husband was getting the worst of it — SAMPSON having him down — she, with her baby in her arms, dragged her brother off, and DUGGAN, streaming with blood, went for the police. The bench, which consisted of Messrs.T. Newman and T. Odgers, Js.P., said there had been a lot of conflicting evidence, and the magistrates did not consider that the charge had been proved. They therefore dismissed the case, with £2[?] costs.