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

Private John William NICHOLSON — 1026, 17th Lancers

Birth & early life

Born c.1829.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Dublin on the 11th of March 1849.

Age: 20.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: None shown.

Service

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

The musters for July-September 1858 show him as being "On Detachment at Sholapoore" during the whole of the period.

Served in action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.

Discharge & pension

Discharged "time expired," from Secunderbad, India, on the 21st of March 1861.

Served 12 years 10 days.

Conduct," good".

In possession of two Good Conduct badges.

(There is no indication if he remained in India or returned to England.)

Medals

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

Mutiny medal without clasp.

Further detailed medal information archived.

Commemorations

Death & burial

From an unknown, undated newspaper report:

"Death of a Balaclava hero... The death has been reported from Darjeeling, India, of a Balaclava hero, Sergeant who, it is said, acted as spokesman for the survivors who were made prisoners by the Russians and brought before a Russian General. "You men must have been primed with rum before you made such a mad charge," said the General, addressing." By --- Sir, we had not a drop; if we had we would have gone through the whole Russian Army," was his reply." I believe you, my brave fellow, I do." replied the General..."

[EJB: He is not shown amongst any lists of prisoners of war, and although he may have ridden in the Charge it could also be a case of wishful thinking, being so far away in India from any possible contradiction.]

The India Office records show him as having died aged about 65 years at Jalaka, near Darjeeling, on the 9th of June 1893 from "Chronic gastritis" . He was buried on the following day by the Revd. William H. Bray, Chaplain. He was described as a "Retired Trooper of the 17th Lancers."

Medals at auction, April 2020

(Click on image to enlarge)

Lot 133

To be Sold on: 16th April 2020

Estimate: £3,000 — £4,000

A Collection of Medals formed by the Reverend Canon Nigel Nicholson, OStJ, DL

Three: Private J. Nicholson, 17th Lancers, who served with the Light Brigade in the Crimea

Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (J. Nicholson, 17th. Lancers) officially impressed naming; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (John Nicholson, 17th. Lancers); Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed as issued, plugged and fitted with a contemporary Crimea-style suspension, minor edge bruising, contact marks, very fine (3) £3,000-£4,000

John Nicholson was born in 1829 and attested for the 17th Lancers at Hampton Court on 11 December 1849.

He served with the 17th Lancers as part of the Light Brigade throughout the entire Crimean War, and is confirmed in Forgotten Heroes by Roy Dutton as having taken part in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava on 25 October 1854.

Discharged, he subsequently claimed from the Light Brigade Relief Fund, and died in India in June 1893.

[Source: Link.]

[PB: Notice "attested Hampton Court 11 December 1849, "confirmed as a Charger" (on what grounds?), claimed from the Light Brigade Relief Fund — even though he was in India?