Service
1851 Census
Ipswich Cavalry Barracks, Suffolk.
William Ellis, 19, Private, born Isleworth.
He may have ridden in the Charge at Balaclava, but there is some doubt [see Further information, below].
[PB, 1.5.2016: His Wikitree page reports that he married Elizabeth A. Littleboy (b. c.1837 in Brentford, Middlesex, to William Littleboy (aka "Littleby"), a Waterman, and Ann Francis) in Brentford, Middlesex, in 1857, and that they had nine children:
— Charles Henry Ellis,
— Elizabeth Ellis,
— James Ellis,
— Rebecca Ellis,
— Ann Ellis,
— Gerard Ellis,
— Frederick Ellis,
— Louisea [sic?] Ellis,
— Sarah Ellis.
See Wikitree: William Ellis, and Wikitree: Eliza Littleboy (accessed 1.5.2016).)]
Medals
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Balaclava clasp sent on O.C's certificate, dated the 13th of December 1858.
In a photograph, taken in old age, he is wearing a medal with three clasps only. (See copy in the 11th Hussar file.)
Further detailed medal information archived.
Commemorations
Towards the end of his life, by which time there were very few survivors of the Charge, he was feted throughout the world, as shown in this item from Sydney, Australia (1913):
(Click on image to enlarge)
FIFTEEN BALACLAVA SURVIVORS
Reduced by one by the recent death of Lord Tredegar, the following are now the survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade:
Sir George Wombwell, 17th Lancers.
Major Phillips [8th Hussars]
Alderman Kilvert, 8th Hussars [actually, 11th Hussars]
J Mustard, 17th Lancers
T. Boxall, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
J. Whitehead, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
H. Wilsden, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
J. Olley, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
W.S.J. Fulton, 8th Hussars
J. Parkinson, 11th Hussars
T. Warr, 11th Hussars
G. Gibson, 13th Hussars [formerly 13th Light Dragoons]
E. Hughes, 13th Hussars [formerly 13th Light Dragoons]
W. Ellis, 11th Hussars
W.H. Pennington, 8th Hussars [actually, 11th Hussars]
[Source: Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW), 20 April 1913 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/126459695 (accessed 15.2.2014) [PB].]
Life after service
1881 Census
Sandy Pit Lane, Aldershot.
Shows WE as born 1833, Old Brentford. (See image of Census entry.)
Wife, Eliza, 44.
Six children shown: James 17, Rebecca 15, Anne 13, Gerard 9, Louise 7, Sarah 4.
1911 Census
1, Myrtle Cottages, Upper Hale, Farnham.
William Ellis, 80, General labourer, born Brentford.
Eliza, 74. [i.e. 54 years' married]
One son shown: James Ellis, 47, single, born Norwich.
Death & burial
William Ellis died 6th June 1913, aged 82 years, and was buried in Upper Hale Cemetery, Farnham, on the 11th of June.
The Regimental band and a composite squadron attended the funeral, the Regiment later erecting a memorial over his grave. His funeral report appeared in the Aldershot News, 13th of June 1913. (See copy of this, photographs of his funeral procession, grave and memorial stone, and also a copy of an article which appeared in the Herald — another Aldershot paper — on the 11th of June 1970, in the 11th Hussar file.)
Extract from Sheldrake's Military Gazette, June 1913:
"'Balaclava Hero's Death.'
Another of the few remaining heroes of the Balaclava Charge passed away on Friday in the person of Mr. William Ellis, who was well-known and much esteemed. Deceased was born at Isleworth in 1824 [sic] and was thus 82 years of age. He served throughout the Crimean War in the 11th Hussars, and held the medal for that campaign with clasps for Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, and also the Turkish medal.
He came to live in Hale after retiring from his regiment, but continued his connection with the Army by being employed in various capacities in the Camp at Aldershot and the late Lord Wolseley honoured him by several visits to his home. The late veteran had been in failing health of late, and last year he was presented, through the instrumentality of Mr. A.C. Parker, of Guildford, with a bath-chair subscribed for by the officers of his old regiment, and others, with the regimental colour inscribed on the cushions.
He had an Army pension of 1/- per day, and a pension of 7/- per week was granted to him in January of last year from the Light Brigade fund, and he and his wife also had a Government pension.
The deceased and his wife celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1907, and he leaves a widow, two sons, and a daughter to mourn his loss.
The funeral took place on Wednesday at Upper Hale Cemetery, when full military honours were accorded. The coffin was conveyed on a gun-carriage by "J" Battery of the R.H.A., and the cortege was headed by the band of the 11th Hussars, the deceased's old regiment, who played Chopin's "Funeral March" and the "Dead March" from "Saul" on their way to the cemetery.
About 100 officers and men of the 11th Hussars attended and there were many beautiful floral tributes from the Regiment. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. H.C. Patrick, of Farnham and Alton."
Photograph of the gravestone, by "Charlie", on the FindAGrave website, here (accessed 1.5.2016).
(Click on image to enlarge)
The headstone, in red sandstone, and the kerb, in white, are still in a good condition [1978] and bear inscriptions:
Sacred to the memory of
[Carved regimental badge]
"WILLIAM ELLIS, who died on on June 6th 1913, aged 82.
He served in the 11th Hussars and rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava on Oct. 25th 1854.
Erected by the N.C.O.and Men of the XI P.A.O. Hussars.
Also of ELIZA, beloved wife of the above, who died November 10th 1921, aged 84 years.
Thy will be done."
On the left-hand kerbstone:
"Charles Henry Ellis. Died 26th February 1915." The right-hand kerbstone is un-marked and the foot kerb bears the words, "God be with you until we meet again."
Two sons are shown as being present at his funeral. Perhaps "Charles Henry" was one of these.
In September 1997, newspaper articles appeared in two local Aldershot district newspapers, reporting the vandalisation of his gravestone in Upper Hale Cemetery. His grand-daughter, Mrs Mabel Knight, aged 89, the widow of William Ellis's grandson Edward, on learning of this, was quoted a figure of between £700 and £800 to restore it, and asked for help in doing this from the local Council.
The Council replied that such graves, even those with a heritage nature, are the responsibility of the relatives. Similarly, this was the reply she received from the Army, with the added comment that they only looked after post-World War One graves.
Eventually getting the repair done for £400, a sum which, being a pensioner, she could ill-afford, her story was reported in the papers, and several bodies, including the Regiment, promised to help. Mrs Knight has described Ellis's grave as:
"part of our history. I suppose when I am gone, no-one will be responsible to look after any repairs needed. I feel these special graves should be looked after over the years, and not just left to people who are not wealthy."
Also reprinted at the time were photographs of the funeral procession, William Ellis (sitting in his wheel-chair) and his wife, a picture of the stone after its restoration, one of Mrs. Knight holding a picture of William Ellis and an extract from his experiences during the Charge, taken from the 11th Hussar Journal of 1913.
(There are copies of the newspaper articles etc, in the 11th Hussar file, and also a copy of a follow-up article taken from "The Times".)
RM (23.9.2013): According to the Diocese of Guildford's website, an exhibition and special memorial service were held in Hale on 8th of June 2013, one hundred years after William Ellis's death:
A Hale hero's memorial unites community
11 June 2013
A SPECIAL SERVICE marking 100 years since the passing of the last survivor of the Charge of the Light Brigade has brought together the community of Hale, where the soldier once lived.
It was with the same community spirit that the village of Hale gathered on 8 June 2013 to attend a memorial service for Mr William Ellis as that seen in 1883, when the village came together to collect flint and build St Mark' church, Hale, where the service took place
William Ellis: A Hale hero's memorial unites community (8th June 2013).
(Click on image to enlarge)
Mr William Ellis, a former resident of Upper Hale, served in the 11th Hussars throughout the Crimean War, and was awarded medals for service at Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
Hale's hero
Members of the King's Royal Hussars, The Royal British Legion and the Chelsea Pensioners all gathered at the special service held at St Mark's church, where many details from Mr Ellis' funeral were recreated.
The Revd Alan Crawley, of the Parish of Hale with Badshot Lea said: "A man rang up out of the blue about four months ago and said he had discovered that a soldier who had fought in the Charge of the Light Brigade had lived, and was buried, in this area.
"We did some research and found details of the original funeral for Mr Ellis held 100 years ago. We decided to use the same hymns and music that were in the funeral in a memorial service."
"A great opportunity to bring the village together".
The Chelsea pensioners and some representatives from his regiment met outside his old house in Hale, and recreated the same procession to the church that took place at his funeral.
During the service, the pensioners laid wreathes in memory, and the Hale History Society mounted a small display at the back of the church.
"I thought holding a service like this one would be a great opportunity to bring the village together and build on the community feel of the area.
"Representatives from the forces came as well as some of Mr Ellis' family from London and Kent and a lot of people from the local community, as we had advertised the service in the local paper.
"I am sure Mr Ellis would have been staggered to see his own funeral — and quite probably even more so if he knew we would be marking his life 100 years later." Alan Crawley said
[Source: http://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/news/story/877/ (accessed 23.9.2013).]
Further information
Did William Ellis Charge?
William Ellis claimed that he rode in the Charge next to 1481 Thomas Warr, 11th Hussars (who himself had some difficulty proving his claim — see his record.)
1631 William Pennington, 11th Hussars thought his claim might have been justified, but wondered why he was so long in coming forward. His story, as told to a Sergeant Rogers of the A.P.C., appeared in the 11th Hussars Regimental Journal for 1913. (There is a copy in the 11th Hussar file. FIND AND CHECK THIS.)
There is no record of his ever having belonged to the Balaclava Commemoration Society or of his ever attending any of the veterans' functions. Ignorance of these is unlikely, especially as he worked for the Army and would surely have heard something of them.
A note to an entry on WO/25/3569, dated 19th of April 1911, adds: "States that he rode in the Charge".
In a letter written to Canon Lummis on the 29th of August 1902 [sic? 1912?], William Pennington wrote:
"I should fancy that he [Ellis] might be placed upon the roll of survivors, but it is remarkable that several men who at this late date now claim the distinction of having charged in the "Advance" should have been silent for so many years. Much care was taken when compiling the roll in 1879 and at that time many of the older non-commissioned officers were still surviving, but since their departure for another sphere, many doubtful claims have been put forth. I should certainly give Ellis the benefit of any doubt."
Canon Lummis himself states, "I attended his funeral in June of 1913 and had previously visited him at his home, but regret that I did not ask to see his discharge papers."
[PB, 1.5.2016: His Wikitree page (cited above) reports that he gave an account of the Charge to Canon Lummis in 1913:
"We remained at Inkerman till the horses and men were nearly starved to death. The horses hadn't a bit of mane or tail left. We went on to Balaclava and on October 25th the famous charge took place in the Valley of Death. I was very lucky there. We were going to breakfast when the first shot was fired. We could see the Scots Greys hard at it before we got into our saddles, which didn't take us long, I assure you.
The 4th Heavy Dragoons and the 6th Inniskillings were with the Greys, and the Light Brigade advanced under the French redoubts for shelter. Lord Cardigan gave the order, "Draw swords, Charge", and we charged. To see the field was something awful. I shall never forget it. Of the 600 who rode into Death Valley, only 195 were counted on roll-call as fit for active service.
[PB, May 2016: CHECK Lummis & Wynn, Laurence Crider and Roy Dutton.
