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

Added 14.9.11. Minor edits 30.5.14.

639, Private Michael McCABE — 17th Lancers

Birth & early life

Born in Parsonstown, Co. Kings c.1822.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Dublin on the 31st of January 1840.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 9".

Trade: Shoe-maker.

Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Lt. brown hair.

Service

At Scutari from the 15th of January — 11th of May 1855.

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

The muster rolls for the July-September 1858 period shows him as Sick at Ponundluir" during the whole of the period.

Invalided to England on the 1st of February 1859.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Maidstone on the 23rd of February 1864 at "Own request, free to pension, after 24 years service."

Served 24 years 9 months.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years. In India: 1 year 43 days.

Conduct and character: "very good."

In possession of four Good Conduct badges.

He was batman to Major Learmonth from July of 1856 and throughout his service in India.

Twice entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.

Aged 43 years 2 months on discharge.

To live in Maidstone, but he was living in the Chatham Pension District in 1865.

He was granted a pension of 1/- per day.

Medals

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

Can find no trace on the Mutiny medal roll.

Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 28th of November 1861, with a gratuity of £5.

Further detailed medal information archived.

Commemorations

Life after service

A son, Edwin, entered the Royal Military Asylum, Chelsea, on the 10th of July 1876, at the age of 10 years and 10 months, He is shown as being "Returned to his father" on the 13th of March 1880. His mother was shown as Susanna McCabe, and both parents were shown as being "Still alive," at the time of his entry.

1881 Census

The 1881 Census returns show McCabe aged 59, born Dublin as a Domestic Servant in the household of Thomas P. Allen at Cornard Road, Chilton, Suffolk. His wife S. McCabe, 42, born Mendlesham Suffolk, was also a Servant.

Two sons are named: Ernest [sic] 15, born Mendlesham, and William 12, born Dublin. Other children — a daughter R. McCabe aged 18 born at Brighton and a son M.McCabe 9, born Dublin — are also shown as being in service. [RM]

1901 Census

His wife Susanna is later shown in the 1901 Census as a Lodging House keeper in Brighton. Other children Rosa aged 38, and Edwin aged 35 a Harness maker are also shown in the locality. [RM]

Death & burial

The GRO registers show McCabe as dying aged 64 in the Sudbury registration district of Suffolk (inc Chilton) in the March quarter of 1885.


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