IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION
Born at Eye, near Hoxne, Suffolk, and was baptised there on the 2nd of February 1817, the son of John Watling and his wife, Sarah (nee Charles). His parents were married at Eye on the 13th of October 1796.
Enlisted into the 3rd Light Dragoons at London on the 31st of July 1838.
Regimental No. 1102.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 9.,"
Trade: Labourer.
Dark complexion. Grey eyes. Brown hair.
Transferred to the 4th Light Dragoons on the 1st of July 1853.
Discharged from Camp Curragh on the 2nd of September 1862, at "Own request, having served 24 years."
Served 24 years 13 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 10 months.
India, 13 years.
Conduct: " a good soldier".
In possession of five Good Conduct badges.
Once entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Awarded a pension of 1/1d. per day.
He said he intended to live in North London after discharge, but he was in Brighton in 1863.
One source states, "To reside with the Regiment," but not in what capacity.
Medal for Cabul.
Punjab medal with clasps for Chilianwala and Goojerat. Was present during the whole of the campaign in the Punjab up to the occupation of Peshwar.
Sutlej medal with clasps for Moodkee, Ferozeshuhur and Sobraon.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
He was awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 2nd of May 1860 with a gratuity of £5.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with four clasps, medal for "Cabool" [sic] Army of the Sutlej, Punjab, Turkish, and the Long Service medals.
He said he intended to live in North London after discharge, but he was in Brighton in 1863.
One source states, "To reside with the Regiment," but not in what capacity.
Robert Watling died in the Brighton Pension District on the 28th of December 1864. The St. Catherine's House Registers show his death as being at Brighton during the October-December quarter of 1864. No age at death is shown, this being before it was recorded.
His death certificate shows that he died at 1, Over Street, in the parish of St. Peter's, Brighton, at the age of 48 years from "Cancer of the Tongue". He was described as a Pensioner, formerly in the 4th Light Dragoons. A Mary Watling, probably his wife, was present at, and the informant of, his death. (There is a copy of this in the "Certificates" file.)
In Regimental possession is a photograph captioned "Balaclava men of the 4th Hussars in 1856". (This date is not thought to be correct, and actually to be some years later, perhaps as late as 1858.)
This shows six men in different modes of uniform dress, and a civilian (and probably an officer). Only one of those pictured could possibly be truly identified, the one with six medals.
Only 1568 Robert Watling is known to be in possession of this number. (See copy picture of him in the 4th Hussar file.) There are also two men pictured wearing the medal for Ghuznee, the Crimean medal with four clasps. the Turkish Crimean medal and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal.
(See records of 828 William Robinson, and 855 John Moore, who were both awarded this combination of medals and were serving at the time the original photograph was said to have been taken. Another is an N.C.O (with the badge of rank of a Rough Rider Sergeant above his stripes) and with the (what appears to be a three clasp Crimean medal when viewed in comparison with others known to be four clasp) and Turkish medals, who could be any one of a number, no indication being in the musters as to who held this post at the time.
(The NAM, when asked to possibly identify the rank badge, confirm him as being as either a Sergeant Riding Instructor, Sergeant Rough Rider or Sergeant Remount Trainer.) The only one of those named in the musters as being Sergeants at the time of the presumed taking of the photograph however, and who is shown in his service record as having been on a course of instruction at the Maidstone Riding School, was 1237 James William Lay (see his record.) A known painting of him (as an officer) now in the Regimental Museum, has a marked resemblance in the expression across the eyes. (See copies of both pictures in the 4th Hussar file.)