PRESENTATION OF WAR MEDALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 27

PRESENTATION OF WAR MEDALS.

AN IKTEKESTING CEKEAIOJNY. WELLINGTON. June 19. The Duke and Uuchess are having a very biipy time in Wellington. This afternoon they drove to Parliament House, where the Duke presented the South African war medals to the leUuned tioopers from Wellington. Hawke'x Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Nelson, Maryborough, and Westland districts. Towards noon, when the ceremony was timed to begin, the rain cleared off, and a few stray rays of sunshine peeped through the clouds, but not for long. However, the rain held off till the royal party left Parliament grounds, when the storm broke upon le.-s favoured mortal?, and a forest of umbrellas sprang up like magic and streamed away in a.) directions. On entering the parliamentary grounds, via, Charlotte street, the contingent men formed up their lines direct I}'1 }' behind the guard of honour, and behind them again were a number of veteran i. The formation was thus that of a horseshoe of volunteers surrounding the green, with the special guard and the contingents filling up the centre. The scarlet and kilti of the Wanganui Highlanders on the one {lank, the blue uniforms of the Napier Guards on the other, and the white-hehneted, smart-looking corps in front supplied a touch of colour to the scene. Crowds cheered the Duke and Duchess as they drove from Government House. Their Royal Highnesses were received by his Ex-cellency-the Governor, and the Duchess of York was, presented with a beautiful bouquet by little Miss Dyer, the four-year-old grand-daughter of the Premier, who performed her simple task very prettily. The medals were all in cardboard boves, stacked in rows on a table at the top of the steps, and were banded to hi? Royal Higfar ness by the Duke of Roxburghe. His Royal • Highness was wearing the uniform of a colonel of the 7th Royal Fusileers, and handed the medals to the returned soldiers as they came forward to receive them, their names being road out by Colonel Penton, commander of the forces. Trooper Morgan, of Hokitika, was brought back and presented to the Duchess of Cornwall, in virtue of his having saved the kit of her brother, one of the Princes of Teck, during the operations in South Africa. In recognition of his action the Prince" presented Trooper Morgan with a valuable' gold ring, and her Royal Highness inspected the memento with much interest. When Lieu- - tenant Collins came forward his Royal High- ■ ness took occasion to express his sympathy with the young man for the injury to his left hand that he had sustained during the light at Ottoohoop in August last, and expressed the hope that the injured member would soon be completely healed. The Premier also explained to her Royal Highness the nature of Lieutenant Collins's injury, - and her Royal Highness sympathetically expressed the hope that he would soon be all right. Subsequently his Royal Highness expressed a desire to see Lieutenant-colonel Collins, the father of Lieutenant Collins. To him his Royal Highness expressed his satisfaction at Lieutenant Collins having received an Imperial commission, and hoped he would be able to take it up. As to his wound, he said the young man could not have received it in a nobler cause, and he hoped he would soon recover. The last to receive the medals were Nurses Monson and Warmington, who received a hearty cheer from the crowd, and the ceremony was over. His Royal Highness expressed to the Premier his sense of satisfaction at the excellent manner in which the function had been arranged, and after chatting for a few minutes their Royal Higlmc-ses left for Government House, amid th» hearty cheery of the people. The Duke ]jre«ented medal- to 68 members of the first contingent, 91 of the second, 97 of the third, 50 of the fourth, and also eight .representatives ol other corps which had been engaged in the war, and tvv nurses. Captain Banletl (of Hawera), the first recipient of the medal this morning, won great praise at the fiont a- a fcarlca v soldier and an officer ot resource and tact. Another conspicuous figure ir- the ceremony was Regimental-sergeant-ma j oi C P. Rogers, who already was wearing two medals won in fighting for the Queen in Egypt. He was sergeant-major of the New Zealand contingent at the Queen's Jubilee festivities in London, and as he passed before the Duko this morning he was followed by a comrade: of that company — Regimental Sergeantmajor Burr. The brothers Chaytor, from Mailborough, were also there, one (D. A. Ohaytor) being a captain in the first contingent, and the othei (K. W. Chaytor) major in command of the thud. The two herorof New Zealand Hill — Major Madacksand Captain J. G. Hughes. D.S.O.— together with Captain Todd, D.S.O , were in ividence as membeis oi" the Commandant's Staff. but they had received their medals at Auckland. Tho second contingent's party was led by Captain Hnison, who was m London with the New Zealanders at t'le celebration of the Queen'Jubilee, and, after being invalided from the front, reached London again in time t' represent tho colony at her Majesty's funeral. He was followed by Ct-plam Chas. Sommerville (son of Lieutenant-colonel Sommerville), and the unique sight ol father and son receiving medals together for a foreign war was witnessed as the popular veteran from Wanganui thio morning took his place pt the head oi the representatives of the lourth contingent. Colonel Sommerville was greeted with one of the few rounds of applau«e given during the ceremony. Lieutenant Collins (son of Lieutenant-colonel Collins), who was wounded in the wrist dur> ing a lively action in which the fourth was engaged, followed the veteran Colonel in receiving his medal, and was given a greeting horn hit " fi lends in front." Lieutenant G. F. Johnston was also recognised by many Wellingtonian-. Lieutenant colonel Newall, C.8., led the pdity oi the fifth con-

tingemt, and was followed by Captain Tanher, of Haw*ke's Bay, who had seen service in Matabeleland during the stirring times of trouble with th© natives. The Transvaal campaign has evidently told upon him, but, in reply to inquiries, he said he was " getting fit " again slowly. Another interesting figure (was that of Surgeon-captain Godfray, of the third, "who was twice wounded, yet stuck ifco th© duty of tending his comrades. The men of the third declare that Dr Godfray won * V.C., but as no Imperial officer * £ happened along " to see the gallant deeds he performed whilst succouring the wounded 'db didn't get it. After the New Zeala-nders faad passed before the Duke, Captain Bingly, (who saw service with the Royal Berks, and is now in our Defence Office, received his medal, and he was followed by Surgeonmajor Hosking, Lieutenant Wall, the two nurses, and representatives of Brabant's Horse, Kitchener's Horse, aud the South AFrican Light' Horse.