A Crimean War and ‘Probable’ Heavy Brigade Charger’s Turkish Crimea Medal awarded to Private John James, 1st (Royal) Dragoons, of St. Thomas’ Parish, Oxford, comprising: Turkish Crimea, 1855-56, British issue, with original ring suspension and loop, engraved in smart upright capitals, likely by Hunt & Roskell (1227. Private John James, 1st Royal Dragoons), old mottled tone, good extremely fine with some underlying lustre Private John James was born in 1834 in St. Thomas’ Parish, Oxford, and enlisted for service with the 1st Dragoons on 17 December 1852 at Westminster, Middlesex. He served for two years in the Crimea and most likely took part in the Charge of the Heavy Brigade at the Battle of Balaklava on 25 October 1854, being confirmed in the muster rolls as ‘effective’ between 1 October and 31 December, and with entitlement to a three-clasp Crimea Medal (Balaklava, Inkerman, Sebastopol). This important charge, made uphill and against heavy odds in favour of the defending Russians, was a marked success and routed the advancing enemy, suffering relatively light casualties themselves (the first dragoons suffered a reported 2 killed and 14 men wounded) whilst taking few Russian prisoners in the attack.Private James is listed as ‘probably rode in the Charge’ by Roy Dutton in ‘Forgotten Heroes: The Charge of the Heavy Brigade’, although no information suggests any period of absence. He was duly promoted to Corporal on 1 March 1856, and then to Sergeant on 1 November 1857, at which rank he continued to serve until 4 November 1859. Upon this date he was reduced to Private after an ‘absence’ at Belfast, for which he was confined for a week and court-martialled. He nonetheless continued to serve at the rank of Private, with good conduct thereafter, until his completion of 12 years’ service on 22 December 1864. Private James then re-enlisted one week later with the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards for a final period of service, apparently receiving his final discharge on 21 August, 1866. Offered with copied discharge papers, and other research.

Estimate: GBP 200 - 300