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

Added 1.12.12. Minor edits 14.4.14.

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

BYRNE? BYRNES? IF NECESS, ALTER FILENAME

1029, Private John BYRNES — 8th Hussars

Birth & early life

Born at Liverpool.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Liverpool on the 26th of October 1847.

Age: 20.

Height: 5' 6".

Trade: None shown.

Service

Confined 8th-9th October 1853, tried by a District Court martial on the 10th, and sentenced to 112 days' imprisonment. He was released on the 3rd of February 1854.

,

Embarked for the Crimea aboard the "Mary Anne" on the 19th of April 1854.

The muster rolls for October-December show him as being present with the regiment, but those for January-March as being one of the Escort Troop of Lord Raglan, which was under the command of Captain George Chetwode.

Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.

Returned to England, leaving Bombay on the 3rd of February 1860.

To the Canterbury Depot from Chatham on the 3rd of May 1860.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Canterbury "time expired", on the 14th of May 1860.

Served 12 years 20 days.

Conduct: "very good".

In possession of two Good Conduct badges.

Medals & commemorations

Entitled (according to the medal rolls) to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol only, but qualify this with the "s" of Byrnes being crossed off and adding in the "Remarks" column: "H&R" [Hunt and Roskell] 1/7/56 and "Medal also".

There is, however, some confusion with 925, John Byrne, 8th Hussars, who is shown as being entitled to the Alma and Inkerman clasps, and has in the "Remarks" column "W.O. 2/11/56."

The muster rolls differ in that they show 925 John Byrne died at Yenibazar, Bulgaria, on the 16th of August 1854. From this he could not have been in the Crimea, and these clasps should most probably have been shown as the ones awarded to 1029 John Byrnes.

Lummis and Wynn also confuse the two men and add "Note; The Casualty List gives him the wrong Regimental number, 925". It is not clear just which Casualty List they mean, but it does not refer to the Official Casualty List as published in the "London Gazette".

Mutiny medal with clasp for Central India.

Served at Kotah and Gwalior.

To live in Liverpool after discharge.

Life after service

Death & burial


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