State: New South Wales, Australia
Issued on: Return/Departure
Date of presentation: 24/09/1901
Number issued: 2
Gold pendants, to:
"A" Company, New South Wales Imperial Bushmen –
294 Private Harvey Stephen BURCHER (absent)
"E" Company, New South Wales Imperial Bushmen –
782 Private David Henry TASKER
Presentation made by the Mayor, at the Condobolin Hotel.
Obverse with recipient's monogram and the date of the welcome home.
Reverse: "Presented to D.H. Tasker (H.S. Burcher) Imperial Bushmen by his Condobolin friends".
Note: the Sydney Daily Telegraph states that the two men were returning to the front - however, I can find no evidence of further service beyond their time with the NSW Imperial Bushmen. A later report implies that it was not known whether the two men had returned to re-enlist or were "pursuing a commercial life" in South Africa.
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Sydney Daily Telegraph, 26th September 1901
RETURNING TO THE FRONT.
CONDOBOLIN, Wednesday.
At a meeting at the Condobolin Hotel last night, Messrs D. TASKER and H. BURCHER, troopers who had fought in South Africa with the Imperial Bushmen’s Contingent, were presented with gold pendants before their return to the Cape in the Harlech Castle.
Sydney Morning Herald, 26th September 1901
CONDOBOLIN, Wednesday.
Troopers D.H. TASKER and H.S. BURCHER, late of the Imperial Bushmen, were presented with gold souvenirs yesterday, on the eve of their return to South Africa.
Lachlander & Condobolin Reporter, 27th September 1901
Presentation.
A large number of townspeople assembled at the Condobolin Hotel last Tuesday evening to witness the presentation to Troopers D.H. TASKER and H.S. BURCHER with trophies in honour of their service at the front as Imperial Bushmen. His worship the mayor presided and in a few well chosen words made the presentation of a handsome gold inscribed pendant to Trooper Dave TASKER, and, in the unavoidable absence of his comrade in arms, asked him to convey to Trooper BURCHER a similar souvenir from their many friends and admirers in this district. His remarks were supported by Mr G.C. Driffield, who explained that the proceeds from the welcome home social tendered their guests had been devoted to purchasing the pendants as mementos of the occasion. As both the young heroes were about to return to South Africa he trusted they would both be long spared to enjoy the memory of their welcome back to Condobolin, and the souvenir of it they were presented with that evening. After Messrs Dubois and Reuben had also spoken, the health of Messrs TASKER and BURCHER was drunk. Mr TASKER briefly replied by thanking his friends for the handsome present which he did — and he was sure his absent friend would also — highly appreciate. The pendants would always remind them of home and friends. This concluded the proceedings. We might add the pendants were of gold, of chaste design, inscribed with recipients' monograms, and the date of their welcome home on one side and the words "Presented to D.H. Tasker (H.S. Burcher) Imperial Bushmen by his Condobolin friends", on the other.
Lachlander & Condobolin Reporter, 4th October 1901
For the Front.
Mr Dave TASKER left Condobolin on 26th ultimo for Sydney, intending there to join his old comrade in arms, Trooper BURCHER, and return to the front. At present we are unable to say whether they intend re-enlisting in the ranks on reaching South Africa, or of pursuing a commercial life, but in either case we join in wishing them every success and prosperity.
