WWII Victory Medal – Kalgoorlie

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At 2 p.m. to–day (Monday 24th September 1945), the Mayor of Kalgoorlie, Mr. R. G. Moore, accompanied by the town clerk, Mr. H. A. Kingsbury, and councillors, will be in attendance at the Kalgoorlie Central School to address the children and present to them the victory medals which have been obtained by the council for all school children in the municipality. At 2.30 the party will visit the Kalgoorlie Infants’ School, and at 3 p.m. the children of the North Kalgoorlie School will be addressed and presented with medals. Tomorrow (Tuesday) morning a call will be made on the children at the Butler street Convent, St. Mary’s Convent, Dugan street, and the pupils of the Christian Brothers’ College when similar addresses and presentations will be made. The medal, which is of silver and has a red, white and blue ribbon attached thereto, is handsomely struck and was obtained from Sheridan’s engraving works, Perth. On one side the King’s Crown is shown, and on a shield, surrounded by a laurel wreath, the following words appear: — ‘Victory Medal, 15/8/1945, to commemorate the conclusion of the world war, 1939–45.’ On the reverse side is the coat of arms of the Municipality of Kalgoorlie. In order that the children who will receive the medals will understand the significance of the figures depicted on the coat of arms, the town clerk, Mr. Kingsbury has offered the following explanation: The lady with the wheel represents Fortuna, the goddess of chance. She is presenting the miner, who has the pick and shovel, implements of his trade, lying at his feet, with the golden apple, the reward of his labours from the earth. The cornucopia shown is the recognised emblem of plenty and indicates the prosperity of the field. In the background is an indication of the Golden Mile, from which the wealth was secured. The Latin words, ‘Fortuna, industriae, cedit,’ which surround the coat of arms, translated mean ‘Fortune yields to industry. http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/95603944