County: Ayrshire
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 14/06/1901; 27/11/1901
Number issued: 9
14/06/1901 presentation
8109 Private William WALKER
27/11/1901 presentation
7625 Private David WHITESIDE (subsequently 759 Tpr. D. Whiteside, 1st Scottish Horse)
Inscribed: "VOLUNTEER SERVICE COMPANY, ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS. SOUTH AFRICAN WAR, 1900-1901. PRESENTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF TROON TO _________".
MEDALS FOR TROON SERVICE VOLUNTEERS.
TROON.
HONOURING THE BRAVE.
PUBLIC OVATION AND PRESENTATION OF MEDALS TO THE TROON SERVICE VOLUNTEERS.
The Troon Service Volunteers were accorded a public reception and presented with gold medals in the Unionist Hall, Troon, on Friday evening. The hall, chosen because it is the finest and largest in the town, was filled to overflowing with all sorts and conditions of men, women, boys, and girls, and the proceedings throughout were of the most enthusiastic description. Indeed, the only complaint we have heard but emphasises what has been said about enthusiasm, all the chronic grumbler could find to say being that some of the young folk were so boisterous that it was almost impossible at times to hear the speakers. The decorations consisted of flags. About eight o’clock the local company of volunteers, led by the fine pipe and drum band of the 2nd V.B.R.S. Fusiliers marched from the armoury to the hall, where they occupied the two front seats.
Bailie Watt moved that Provost Logan take the chair.
Provost Logan: – Ladies and gentlemen, I consider it an honour to preside over this meeting. It is not necessary I should say much. You have all already given a hearty welcome to the returned volunteers. (Cheers). We remember that on the 23rd January, 1900, or nearly 17 months ago, we had a large and enthusiastic meeting in this hall, held to give them a parting cheer – (cheers) – a parting cheer to a number of the fearless young men who had volunteered to serve their country in South Africa. (Loud cheers). Nine men went out from Troon, some of whom have returned heroes. (Cheers). I have not the complete list, with their full names, but I know that WALKER was invalided home some time ago, and AGNEW was wounded and also invalided home. (Cheers). GILMORE, I am sorry to say, died of enteric at Potchefstroom. We all mourn his death, and express deep sympathy with his widow and fatherless boy. WHITESIDE and MARTIN remain in South Africa for further service. (Cheers). John LYNAM, MURRAY, McINNES and DOCHERTY returned this week. (Cheers). Six are here – no, probably only five. AGNEW, we are sorry to hear, has been called upon to go to Kilmarnock owing to an accident to his father. His father is reported to have fallen off an engine today. It may not be serious, and he may turn up yet. I am sure we all give them a hearty cheer. (Cheers). Then we say to them – The nation is grateful to you, and Troon is proud of you. (Cheers). We are glad to see you back home in good health and looking well. (Cheers). Though so long far from us you have been in our thoughts, and you have been remembered to God in prayer, and He has protected you, and brought you home in safety; and I trust the thanks of every heart will go out to Him and His goodness.
……. We are here tonight just to give such a welcome and such a reception to those who have been fighting our battles and standing up like men in our country’s cause in South Africa, and while all of us desire a true and permanent peace, we can only be satisfied with an honourable peace – (cheers) – and South Africa under the Union Jack of liberty. (Loud cheers). The people of Troon have decided to present each of you with a tangible mark of your service to Britain, and you will now receive a gold medal each. (Cheers). We trust you will be long spared to show this medal as a small token of the esteem in which you are held for loyalty to your king and country. (Cheers). The presentation of these medals has been left in my hands, but I don’t like to do everything, and I have asked Mrs Logan if she would kindly step forward. (Cheers).
Mrs Logan very gracefully presented each of the men present with a chaste little gold medal bearing the following inscription – VOLUNTEER SERVICE COMPANY, ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS, / SOUTH AFRICAN WAR, 1900-1901, / PRESENTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF TROON / TO / _________ . Then follows the name of the recipient. Each man saluted as the medal was handed to him, removed his head-gear, and again took his seat on the platform, amid a perfect storm of applause.
Major Scott said – Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, in thanking you on behalf of the men who have received the medals tonight I propose, with your permission, to give a short account of the work done by our volunteers in South Africa.
TROON VOLUNTEERS FROM THE FRONT.
WELCOME HOME.
In order to signalise the return of Corporal MARTIN and Private WHITESIDE from South Africa, where they were latterly engaged with the Scottish Horse, a smoking concert was held in the Portland Arms Hotel on Wednesday night. There was a large turnout of the members of “H” Company, to which the servicemen belong. Major Scott presided, and supporting him were Hon. Captain Curry, Lieutenants Young and Walker, the guests of the evening, and the other men who went to the front, with the exception of Private Gilmore, who now sleeps his last sleep on the veldt.
At the outset of his remarks, the Chairman gave expression to the pleasure which it afforded him to see such a large gathering of the company to welcome home the two Volunteers, who, after having had their share of the fighting in South Africa as members of the Service Company of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, had further shown their loyalty to King and country by joining the regiment of Scottish Horse. (Loud applause). He was not only proud of those men, but of the other members of the Company, who had sacrificed so much to assist in maintaining the integrity of the Empire – (applause) – a sacrifice which he was sure would have been willingly made by others of their comrades, if it had been necessary for them to do so. (Applause). It was very gratifying to have corporal Martin and private Whiteside amongst them once more, and, notwithstanding the hardships they had gone through, apparently in the best of health. (Applause). The Major then presented, in the name of the inhabitants of Troon, duplicates of the medals which were presented to their comrades in the Unionist Hall, on their return last summer. He hoped they would be long spared to the to wear them as mementos of the part which they had taken in the great struggle in South Africa. (Applause).
Corporal Martin, in the course of a feeling reply, thanked his fellow townsmen and comrades for their great kindness and kindly sympathy. He assured them the medals presented that evening would be highly appreciated.
Private Whiteside also briefly replied.
The chairman, amid loud applause, then presented to Privates AGNEW, DOCHERTY, LYNUM, McINNES, MURRAY, and WALKER, bars for attachment to their medals, to which they were entitled.
Lieutenant Young said that he and Lieutenant Walker very cordially endorsed the reference which the chairman had made to the two troopers of the Scottish Horse, whom they were met together that evening to welcome home, as well as the other men of the Service Company who returned a few months ago. (Applause). He was sure they were all delighted that these men had come back safe and sound to rejoin “H” Company, and that the opportunity was afforded them of showing how much their noble example in volunteering for active service in South Africa was appreciated. (Applause). Their action had undoubtedly fostered a patriotic spirit in Troon, which had resulted in a very considerable increase in the membership of the company, and he hoped the return of the service members from South Africa would next year bring the company up to its maximum strength. (Applause). While they were at one in according to Corporal Martin and his comrades a hearty welcome home, they were also reminded that one of their number, who had gone forth with them in all the vigour of his manhood, had sacrificed his life for King and country in South Africa, and he was glad to intimate that it was the intention of the company to erect a tablet to his memory in the local cemetery. (Loud applause). Notwithstanding all the dangers they had encountered, he believed he was correct in saying that Private Agnew was the only member of the Service Company who had had the misfortune to be wounded in South Africa, and he was glad that, with the exception of Private Gilmour, they had been all spared to wear the medals which they so richly deserved, while the two they were met to welcome that night had, in addition, one their spurs. (Loud applause). He thought that “H” Company ought to be proud of the two troopers who had joined the Scottish Horse, and who, in spite of the hardships they had come through, had returned, as the chairman had remarked, “not a hair the worse”. (Applause). He confessed that up till ten days ago, he was unaware of the important part which the Ayrshire Volunteer Service Company had played during the campaign in South Africa, but he had read with great interest the book written by Sergeant McCaw, of the 1st Battalion, and was astonished to find what hardships these men had endured on behalf of their country. (Applause). He could not understand how any true Briton could have for a moment the slightest sympathy with the Boers. (Applause). He was sure the proper course was now being adopted to bring the war to a termination, and, as Private Whiteside had truly said, Lord Kitchener was the right man in the right place, for if the measures he had adopted had been given effect to at first, the war would have been in a different position today. (Applause). Lieutenant Young then referred to the forthcoming ball. On the eve of Waterloo, the Duchess of Richmond had given a grand ball to the British officers in Brussels, but these things were done differently nowadays – Troon Company had put off their ball till the heroes had returned from the war. (Laughter and applause). The function had been arranged to take place in January, but as the merchants, who were really good friends of the Volunteers, had arranged to hold their ball about the same time, he suggested that the Volunteers should postpone their hop till the beginning of February. (Applause). He thought that would please all parties. As each member would be anxious to look spruce on that occasion, he requested the members to hand in their tunics to the Sergeant-Instructor to have them cleaned. (Applause).
The harmony of the evening was enhanced by songs and recitations, rendered with great spirit by the chairman, Lieutenants Walker and Young, and Privates Lynum, Murray, Baillie, French, Finch, McMillan, Hutton, Ralley, and Agnew, while selections on the bagpipes were given by Mr Robertson.
