OUR SOLDIERS

JOINED THE COLOURS

SMOKE NIGHT AND PRESENTATION  

Privates George B. Melville, George Sigg, and Charles A. Stanbridge, .... camp at Broadmeadows, were [given a]   hearty send-off by their fellow employees of Robert Ovens Proprietary Limited smoke night held at the Moonee [Ponds] Town Hall on Saturday evening. [The chair] was occupied by Mr J McJunkin [who] apologised for the absence of the [Mayor] (Cr. W J Mountain), who had .... sustained a sad bereavement, and [Cr A] F. Showers, who was filling an [important] engagement.  

The toast of "The Firm" was [proposed by] Mr. J. J. Connor, who outlined the [history] of the business from its inception .. and expressed pleasure that the [name of ] Ovens was still to the fore in the [con]cern. He recalled that in his [younger] days Mr. R. Ovens was one of the [best] cricketers of the district, being ..... in both bowling and batting. Mr. Ovens responded to the toast, [and] was received with enthusiasm. The toast of "Our Guests" was [proposed by] Mr. S. Downton, who referred to the .... displayed by the employees of [R Ovens] Propy, seven of whose men had [joined] the colours since the beginning of [the war.] He hoped that Privates Melville, [Sigg and] Stanbridge would win distinction [at the] front and return "safe and sound" [to their] friends in Australia. Mr. R. Ovens, on behalf of the [emp]loyees, presented each of the young [sol]diers with a shaving outfit, and .... echoing the hope that they [would be] spared to return home in good [health. He in]timated that their positions [would be] kept open for them. (Aplause.)

The recipients made brief replies, [thank]ing their fellow employees for the [com]pliments extended. Private Melville [said] he had succeeded in enlisting after [many] attempts rendered unsuccessful on [ac]count of his failure to reach the [height*] standard. Among the other toasts was that of ["The] Employees," proposed by Mr Fri.... responded to by Messrs. Sigg and ...... An enjoyable programme was ...... ed to by Messrs. Gerald Massey, ...... J. Conner. W. Jennings, Goble and ......

OUR SOLDIERS. (1917, September 27). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2 Edition: Morning. Retrieved May 24, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74603857

Melville's service record indicates that his height was 5 feet 1½ inches tall.