Born c. 1824 in Sicily, the son of Major (later Lieutenant-Colonel) John Field Oldham of the 8th Royal Veteran Battalion. [PB: His mother was presumably not the Italian woman his father married, mentioned below?]
[PB: I have seen a reference to "Maria Antonietta OLDHAM, died 28th July 1844, aged 30 years. The wife of Major John Field Oldham."]
[PB: possibly born Wiltshire 1783?]
As a Captain in the 62nd Foot he served in Italy and the coast of Calabria during the winter of 1808-09, where he was dangerously wounded. Permanently lamed, he was transferred to the 8th Royal Veteran Battalion.
[PB: In the War Office's A List of the Officers of the Army and Royal Marines on Full and Half Pay", 1821, he is described as "Retired Full Pay, Major, 4th of June 1814" (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dgUcAQAAIAAJ). His Lieut-Colonelcy was announced in The London Gazette, 28 November 1854 — see https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/21634/page/3814/data.pdf]
"Maria Antonietta, w. of Major John Field Oldham, ob. 28 July, 1844, a. (30) years."
[Source: Notes and Queries 9 November 1907 — see https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/14046216/notes-and-queries-university-of-toronto-libraries (accessed 8.11.14).]
John Field Oldham's own father [name?] had also served in the 62nd Foot. He is variously said to have died from fatigue while on duty against the Maroons [in Jamaica], or been cut to pieces by them in an engagement.
The family were living at 6, Charles Street, Manchester Square, London, at the time of his entering the Army in 1842.
Ensign in the 86th Foot: 1st of April 1842.
Lieutenant, the 86th Foot: 23rd of June 1843.
Lieutenant in the 55th Foot: 11th of June 1847.
Lieutenant in the 13th Light Dragoons: 6th of August 1847.
Captain, 13th Light Dragoons: 4th of May 1849.
1851 Census
Piershill Barracks, Leith, Midlothian.
John A Oldham, 30, Captain, born Sicily.
Killed in action at Balaclava on the 25th October 1854.
Captain Oldham served the Eastern campaign of 1854, including the battles of the Alma, Balaclava, (where he commanded the regiment) and the Siege of Sebastopol. (Medal and Clasps and the Turkish Medal.)
Shortly before Balaclava the out-lying picket of the day was ordered to proceed to the river Tchernya, and ascertain if there were any Russians in the village beyond it. Strict instructions were laid on the officer-in-command (Captain Oldham) not to cross the river under any circumstances, but due to a mis-understanding, however, a Sergeant of the party crossed the river and was taken prisoner by the Russian Hussars.
Lord Lucan, by whose personal orders the party had gone out, made a searching investigation as to why his specific orders had been disobeyed. In the result it was stated that Captain Oldham had been relieved soon after the picket had returned and placed under "open arrest", but whether this arrest was taken off before Balaclava is not stated, but as senior Captain, he commanded the regiment during the Charge.
He led the regiment at Balaclava as senior Captain, both Lieutenant-Colonel Doherty and Major Gore being sick, the leading Troop being "A", with Cornet Montgomery. His horse, a white mare — and notoriously a brute — had bolted ahead of the others in the excitement and one of the shells fired took off the animal's hind-legs and knocked over several others. He jumped up, his sword and pistol in his hands, but was knocked over almost immediately by a musket-ball. He is said to have been the first man among the guns.
Shortly after the battle, when a truce was arranged about the burial of the dead, a Russian officer asked, "Who was the officer on a white horse who led the charge." He was told it was Captain Oldham, and at once he replied, "A brave man." His body was never recovered.
Soame Gambier Jenyns wrote of him in a letter:
"Oldham, I saw almost killed by a shell which burst under his horse, and knocked over two or three others. It blew his mare's hind-legs off, and he jumped up, himself not hit, when next moment he threw up his hands, and fell dead on his face."
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol and the Turkish Medal.
A family memorial tablet was placed in St. Mary's Church at Finchley, London, bearing the following inscription:
"Sacred to the memory of Captain William Joseph Oldham of the 2nd (Queen's) Regiment, who was killed in action at Caffaria on the 9th of September 1851 and also of Captain John Augustin [sic] Oldham of the 13th Light Dragoons who fell in the memorable Charge of Balaclava on the 25th of October 1854.
The above were the sons of Lieutenant-Colonel John Field Oldham of the Eighth Royal Veteran Battalion and whose remains are interred at Hanwell, Middlesex. Born on the 30th of April 1793 — Died the 12th of August 1860.
This tablet was placed here by his sorrowing daughter, Mary Ann, the wife of Henry Newton, Esquire. A last tribute of love for the fondest and kindest of fathers and the most affectionate and loving of brothers."
Census information for 1851 kindly provided by Chris Poole.