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

Added 14.5.2011. Minor edits 15.2.2014.

1448, Corporal Richard CHADWICK — 13th Light Dragoons

Birth & early life

Born in London c.1831.

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 23rd of May 1851.

Age: 20.

Height: 5' 7".

Trade: None shown.

Service

From Private to Corporal: 10th of May 1854.

From Corporal to Sergeant: 25th of October 1854.

Lummis and Wynn state that he is believed to have rescued Private William Purvis of the 17th Lancers when the latter's horse was shot. However, it has been established that the "Cpl Chadwick" referred to came from the 4th Dragoon Guards. (998 Private, later Corporal, Thomas Chadwick ) (See the record of 868 William Purvis, 17th Lancers.)

Lummis and Wynn say that Chadwick attended the Annual Dinner in 1899 and may possibly have ridden in the Charge, but no trace can be found of his ever belonging to the Balaclava Commemoration Society or of ever attending any of the other veterans' functions.

Served at Eupatoria.

Transferred to the 7th Hussars (as a Sergeant) on the 1st of September 1857. Regtl. No.142.

Left England with the regiment aboard "The Lightning" from Gravesend on 27th of August 1857, arriving at Calcutta on the 30th of November 1857.

Fresh notices have been issued by the East India Company inviting tenders, to be received on the 11th August, for the conveyance (by screw steamers of 1000 tons register and upwards or by clipper sailing vessels either of 800 tons register and upwards o.m.,or 1000 tons and upwards n.m, ) of troops of Her Majesty's service from England to Bombay and Kerrachee [Karachi]; also, for the conveyance of troops of her Majesty's service, by ships of the above mentioned tonnage, from England to India, the vessel to call at Ceylon on their way for orders. The whole of the men are to be embarked not later than the 25th of August.

The following vessels have been engaged since our last by the East India Company, to embark the troops for India on August 17, viz: City of Manchester (s.), and Lightning, from Gravesend to Calcutta; Queen of the South (s.), Khersonese (s.), and Hursillia, from Portsmouth to Madras; and Bombay Castle (s.), Waterloo Sedgemoor, and Southampton, from Cork to Bombay.

Source: Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic., 21 October 1857), http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/113017392/12237675.]



 Ships embarking for India mid-November 1857, including the Lightning, on which Richard Chadwick travelled to Bombay. <i>Sydney Morning Herald</i>, 18 November 1857. Click to enlarge.

Ships en route to India November 1857, including the "Lightning", on which Richard Chadwick travelled to Bombay. (Sydney Morning Herald, 18 November 1857.)

(Click on image to enlarge)


Reduced to Private by a Regimental Court-martial on the 4th of March 1858.

Served in the field in Oude [Oudh, Awadh], East Indies, 4th of February — 14th of May 1858, including the Siege of Lucknow, 2nd-16th of March 1858.

From Private to Corporal: 18th of May 1859.

The medal roll states he was slightly wounded at Nawabgunge, 13th of June 1858.

Discharge & pension

Discharged, "time expired," from Canterbury on the 4th of June 1863.

Conduct, "good". In possession of one Good Conduct badge from 1st of June 1863.

Sent money from the Crimea to his brother, William, at "The Goods Yard Depot", March Lane, Leeds.

Medals

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

Mutiny medal with clasp for Lucknow.

A supplementary roll (undated) signed by Major Henry Holden shows him as being issued with the Crimean medal (with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman) on the 7th of October 1855.

Commemorations

Lummis and Wynn say that Chadwick attended the Annual Dinner in 1899 and may possibly have ridden in the Charge, but no trace can be found of his ever belonging to the Balaclava Commemoration Society or of ever attending any of the other veterans' functions.

Life after service

Nothing conclusive has been found on the 1881 Census Return.

Death & burial


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