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LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

Added 26.11.12.

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

1474, Private Henry LEES — 4th Light Dragoons

Birth & early life

Born at Stowe, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, c.1833.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Lichfield on the 26th of January 1851.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 6".

Trade: Labourer.

1474 Henry Lees and1475 Joseph Kendricks, 4th Light Dragoons, came from the same place, and it would seem they enlisted together.

Service

Sent to Scutari on the 27th of November 1854 and died in the General Hospital there on the 29th of December 1854.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.

Next of kin: Father, Benjamin Lees, living in Lichfield.

Further detailed medal information archived.

His Crimean medal with four clasps are now in a frame to which is clipped the original letter from the Horse Guards, dated 29th of May 1856, and addressed to his father, Benjamin Lees. This reads:

"I am directed to transmit to you herewith a medal which has been granted to Henry Lees for service as a soldier in the 4th Regt. of Light Dragoons, to be kept in commemoration of his gallant conduct in the Crimean campaign. You are requested to acknowledge the receipt of the medal on the form enclosed... B. Hawes."

Also in the frame is a note signed "B.L": "The above Henry Lees died at Scutari Hospital, December the 29th 1854 in the 25th [sic] year of his age."

(See photograph of both medal and letter in the 4th Hussar file.)

Death & burial

Sent to Scutari on the 27th of November 1854 and died in the General Hospital there on the 29th of December 1854.

Further information

His father, Benjamin Lees, died in February of 1878 and was buried in St. Chad's churchyard in Lichfield.


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