Medal, West Melbourne Senior Cadets, Australia, 1889

West Melbourne Senior Cadets silver medal for rifle shooting awarded to Cadet Garbutt in 1889. Mint: not recorded. The West Melbourne Senior Cadets trained at the North Williamstown rifle range - for instance, they spent Saturday afternoon, 7 July 1888, training there. After an hour of target practice a 'rapid firing match' took place between the commanding officer and the drill instructor.

The following year, their commanding officer, Lieutenant J.W. Parnell, paraded the company in front of Captain Whitehead, commanding officer of the 6th Battalion Senior Cadets, of which the West Melbourne Senior Cadets was part. Whitehead complimented Parnell and honorary drill instructor Colour-Sergeant Dwyer on the efficiency of the corps, and his pride in being their commander. The West Melbourne Senior Cadets also played local football games; but it was only in October 1889 that they decided to form a rifle club, with members competing for a silver cup prize. In October 1889, many cadet units including West Melbourne joined a cadets' camp at Langwarrin. The camp broke up early due to heavy rain; no prizes for shooting were reported in newspapers.

The Victorian Rifle Association's 1889 'rifle shooting season' came to an end on Saturday 7 December 1889 with a large competition between school cadets and other cadet companies. Money prizes were awarded. There is no mention of a Cadet Garbutt of the West Melbourne Senior Cadets. Cadet companies could be formed after 1884 in any Victorian school in detachments of not less than 20. A trophy shield for shooting was keenly contested. A battalion of senior cadets formed the recruitment link between the cadet movement and the militia. Former senior cadets helped provide soldiers for Victorian contingents in the Boer War.

West Melbourne, where this medal was awarded, was a largely industrial suburb which had recently benefited from the arrival of the railway, servicing new flour mills and wool stores and providing a significant local employment. Five pointed silver metal star with central circle with image of man firing a rifle. Green with dark blue and black stripe & black plaid check ribbon on a silver metal loop. Inscription engraved on back. Obverse: Engraved image of a man rifle shooting in an inner circle, set within a five pointed star arrangement. Reverse: Impressed: W.J.D [?] within a rectangle/engraved:WEST/MELBOURNE SENIOR CADETS/ RIFLE SHOOTING/CADET GARBUTT/18 89. Edge: Plain.