Born at Heytesbury, near Warminster.
Enlisted at London on the 24th of November 1847.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Servant.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Brown hair.
Re-engaged at Birmingham for a further 12-year period of service on the 25th of November 1859.
Discharged from Canterbury, "by claim, after completion of second period of service", on the 28th of November 1871.
Served 23 years 356 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 2 months
In India: 1 year 5 months.
Conduct and character: "very good". In possession of four [sic] Good Conduct badges.
Never entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 42 years 11 months on discharge.
Awarded a pension of 1/- per day, to live in Warminster.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 6th of November 1869.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with three clasps, Turkish Medal and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal with a gratuity of £5.
EJB: The muster roll for the period of October 1854 shows no reason for any absence, but the November period shows him as "Sick at Balaclava" and "at Scutari (in Hospital)" from the 13th of December 1854.
He is not known to have ever been a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society or to have ever attended any of the veterans' functions. Two other men of the 11th Hussars, William Shepphard and David Grantham, both of whom had ridden and had lived near him, were later to be buried close by.
After his discharge he was employed by Colonel H.M. Monkton as a groom. Colonel Monkton had served with the 29th Foot during the Sutlej and Punjab campaigns and was wounded during the latter. After joining the 3rd Light Dragoons he had served in the Crimea as a Major in command of the "Royal Regiment of Constantinople", a locally raised cavalry unit. He had been awarded the Turkish War Medal only. (EJB: Whether this was the usual issue to all troops is not known.)
On his leaving for Crowthorne, Hellet had gone with him, becoming his coachman until his (Hellet's) death from influenza on the 17th of January 1890, aged 60 years. He left a widow, who was some 20 years younger, five sons, and a daughter. The eldest son was only 17 years old at this time.
Amos Hellet was buried in Crowthorne churchyard on the 22nd of January 1890, the grave having no stone. His wife, who died in 1925, is also buried with him. The church records show his name as Hallet and this is said by the family to be the correct spelling of the name. (Colonel Monkton came to Crowthorne in 1873 after retiring from the Colonelcy of the 3rd Hussars, and lived at "Whitecairns," Duke's Ride, Crowthorne. He, too, is buried in Crowthorne churchyard.)
From the "Army and Navy Gazette", January 1890:
"Amos Hallet was seized with influenza on the 14th of January and died on the 17th of January 1890. He left a widow and six children. He took part in the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. After being awarded a pension he became coachman to Colonel H.R. Monkton, whom he served faithfully for 18 years."
There is a photograph in the 11th Hussar file of the 1914-18 War memorial in St. John's Church, Crowthorne, Berkshire, which records the death of a grandson.
Much of what is known of him after leaving the Army came from a grandson who was living in Crowthorne in 1976.
His Crimean medals are in his possession and include the Long Service & Good Conduct medal and five Good Conduct badges.
A further letter from a grand-daughter stated that her mother, Hallet's daughter-in-law and wife of his youngest son, "now 90 years of age, but very mentally active and alert", was still living in Chichester. A leather box which accompanied Hallet on his travels was still in her possession.
All the family were convinced that he rode in the Charge, although there is no proof of this.