Casterton News and the Merino and Sandford Record (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), Monday 16 December 1918, page 3


Y.M.C.A. War Service. Vlslt by Mr J. J. Virgo, O.B.E On Monday night last there was a fair attendance at the Casterton SMe. chanics' fall, when Mr J. .. J. Virgo delivered a stirring address on the war as seen from five fronts. Those who attended weregirea a great treat. Able speakers hare occasionally visited Cas. terton, but many will say none better ever came with a more acceptable message at a more appropriate time. Mr Virgo has been engaged in War Service ever since the outbreak of war. He has visited the men on almost every front, and is known on all hands as " Our Jack." The chair was occupied by Cr. J. IV. Murrell, J.P., president of the Casterton Co.operating Committee, and the pro. ceedings were opened with the National A nthem, followed by songs nicely ren. ,lered by Misses Trimble and Brown. 31r Virgo opened his address by stating he was proud to be an Australian, having been horn under the Southern i Cross. lie paid a great tribute to the work dlone by the " Boys in Naray Blue," whose work was brouight less under notice than that of the "Bloys in Khaki." After the Jutland battle he iad been accorded a special opportunity of visiting the Grand Fleet in thle North Sea, where he saw all the great mnagnificont vessels of that great fleet, and those splendid boys so alert, eager andt intense at their work which has meant so much to England, to Australia and to the whole world. The Y.M.C.A. was doing its best to help rnotuld and direct the character of those boys, who thoroughly appreciated the efforts made on their behalf. IMr Virgo gave a thrilling account of his visit to the firing line in France. lie had been very anxious to get tnder shell fire, built with one taste of it.his keenness had disappeared. lie wondered how the lads in khaki stuck it out, and right up in the front line was the Y.M.C.A. hut, just half a mile from the German guns. lie told the soldier boys he was going to Australia, and asked for a message to take with him. They said tell them-" We are on our job, and are going to go right through with it and finish it up in the only right way." And said he-" liaren't they done what they promised ?" (Continued applause.) lie described the military fire at night as an inferno. No words could express the awfulness of that sight. In his own magnetic way he drew word picture after picture of what he had seen at the various fronts. Ilis address baffles description, and no idea of the fervour of hirs utterances could be given even if his address were produced verbatim. It was .1..f. Virgo in his best manner relating what he had seen, and those who listened to the address will agree that ihe proved himself an expert at tire work. Nothing, said he, that could be done was good enough for those meni who had gone through hell to save civilisation. The Y.M.O.A. had done a great work anmongst the boys in Ioth army and navy. lie described the Association's work in London. Tile people in Liondon know thlere's been a war on, continued tlie speaker seriously. '"They've known they were at war," There were 3l,000womenaroluntary work. ers under thile sign of Red Triangle. And ohi, what it menant to tihe boys. The women folk had done magirtifcently. General Mainde said that tile I'Y.kO.A. saved thousands of lives, anti on all fronts the boys would point to the lied Triangle ibut and say-='! That's been our salvation." The Association had spent two and a iquarter million poInids sterling in stationery for the boys. The cream of the manhood of tile nation was in the army, and it was up to tilhe Y.M1.C,A. to do its.besa 'for these men, 11o then opened an appeal for funds to enable that work to be carried through to the end. lie said-" I dare you to give less than you are able," and altironrgh the attendance was only fair, his words were taken seriously, and in a short time the sum of almost £80 was donated, Mfr G. A. Silrester and Mr G. Harris oponing the list with donuations of .10 each. Tlie following were the donors, including sonme amounts that had been previously acknowledged :Australian Comforts Fund (Castorton Branch) .20 0 0 0I. A. Bilvester ... 10 0 0 G. Hlrrls ... 10. 0 0 Strathdownle Dance ( per Miss E. Coin ) ... 8 6 0 1. W. Murrell .. 6 0' 0 .. Mills . 5 0 0 0. R. Patterson .: " .' 5 0 Mrs WV. It. Corney .;;;.,e 5 0 0 G. S. Grant .... 3- 0 F. J. Walter 2 10 0 I. S. MoBean 2 2 0 I) M'Arthur .. 2 0 0 (Ilenolg Lodge of Free. masons ... 110 E. D. Dlazoard I 1 0 I)r errard . 1 0 Rev J. Mooer .,. 1 1 0 WV. T. Corney .. 1 1 0 1'. Q. Pinnell 1 1 U W. F. B. Gough 1 1 0 O. Grant sear. 1 1 0 Mrs M'Ewen ' .1 .1' 0 M. .. N. Breen 1 1 0 Mr and Mrs A. M'Donald I 1'. 0 Mrs Skinner ... l "i 0 Major N. MacDonald .., 1 1i 0 W. H. Zimmer 1. ', 0 C. Smith .. 1 t 0 I. A. Grant 1 "1 0 .J. Henderson 1 1 0 Miss Williamson 1 1 0 Go Holmes 1 1 0 .1. 1. O'Neill 1 1 0W. J. Fell 11 0 W'altor , , 1:1 0 Mrs Kerr 0 Sylvester Kerr " ..:---1 a0 Miss Alien . 1 0 W. T. Stewart ... - 1 0 E. F. Hughes 1 hMrs Ii. R. M''tan .. I 1 0. Nursre Archer , I 0 0 (. (armichiael 0 I. F. lfeddltolh 1 00 W. (. M'Klnney . 0 0 "Aioinonyous" i.1 0 0 W. A. W. Ksell 1 0 0 P', andli. Turner 1i 0 0 J.. Beasgleole ... -10 0 J. A. Edmonaton 1.. .0; M. J. N. Breen : 1 0 0 Il. I. Campbell ... . 0 0 MacDonald ros ...r a 0 0 II. WY. Alien ... 1I 0 0 1T. Beaton .. " 0 0 WV. D. Davis ..... I 0 0 hliss Pentland .,, : 10 6 N. J. Nell .... • 10 6 DI). K. Bates .. 10 06 W.Penny .10 0 Miss Patterson , 10 60 blise Carmioheal : 10 0' Mrs PIrken "10 6 Mrts Ja. Davie, 10 6 J. Wynessa 10 6 C. W. Barr ".10 0. C. Rhodes 10' 0 Miss Harris 10 0 Miss Clayton . 0 Miss E, M'Donald ?5 0 Miss Lawrence 0 Mrs Tytherleigh 5 0 Mrs Schulze 5 0 F. Coxon '0 0. Wiltshlre 5 0 E.G. Clarke . 5 0 H. Hfollawary 2 06 Smarll Amounts 1i 6