State: South Australia
Issued on: Departure
Date of presentation: 28/10/1899
Number issued: 6
Gold medals, to:
Presentation made by Colonel Stuart, in St. Peters Town Hall, Adelaide.
PRESENTATION OF MEDALS.
A number of members of the contingent witnessed the performance of the opera "The Belle of Japan" in the St Peters Town Hall on Saturday evening, and during an interval the Acting Commandant presented gold medals to those members of the Machine Gun Corps who are members of the contingent. Colonel Stuart, who received a flattering reception, said the men of the contingent had been drawn from all branches of the military forces, and six had been selected from the Machine Gun Corps. One of the officers of that department of the service had been seized with the happy idea of presenting each of the six men with a small memento of the occasion in the form of a gold medal, which could he attached to a watch chain. (Cheers). The medals were then presented to the men, amid loud cheering. Colonel Stuart, in continuing his remarks, expressed regret that there was not a full muster of the contingent present, but added that having had a heavy week's work many of the men felt too tired to leave their quarters. He fully believed the men of the contingent would prove themselves worthy of the high confidence reposed in them by the officers. (Loud cheers). The eyes of South Australia, indeed those of the whole world, would be upon them, and he trusted they would acquit themselves on all occasions as true British soldiers, that they would be merciful to the weak and defenceless, but be strong in the face of the enemy, and never turn their backs upon them. (Vociferous cheering). The contingent was composed of the picked men of South Australia, and he was quite satisfied they would do honour to the grand old stock from which they had sprung. (Loud cheers).
The audience gave a vigorous rendering of "For they are jolly good fellows".