Born in the parish of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, c.1831.
Enlisted at Edinburgh on the 25th of November 1851.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Servant.
Features: Fair complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
The Regimental History states he was one of the men wounded during the affair at the Bulganak River on the 19th of September 1854, just before the battle of the Alma. He was sent to Scutari on the 20th of September, where he is shown on the Hospital muster roll from the 24th.
Invalided to England aboard the "Talavera" on the 7th of December 1854.
Discharged, "invalided", from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 3rd of October 1855.
Reason for discharge: "Shell wound of left foot, injured below outer... [word illegible]. followed by loss of bone — Is likely to gain full use of foot".
Served 4 years 11 months.
Conduct: "good". Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.
Awarded a pension of 8d. per day.
Entitled (according to the medal rolls) to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Lummis and Wynn state that he had "no clasps, but is entitled to Alma".
Although his name is on the Alma clasp roll, no clasps are shown for him, but he is to be found on the Sebastopol clasp roll.
Was living at Chatham after discharge.
A "James Kay" joined the Metropolitan Police on the 8th of September 1856 (Warrant No. 34983), his reference being a 13th Light Dragoon discharge certificate. He was dismissed from the Force having been convicted of "Felony" on the 7th of January 1867, and his pension was "forfeited" for his period of imprisonment (no reason shown) on the 21st of August 1863.
Living in the No. 1 West London Pension District from the 1st of October 1875.