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

1286, Private Thomas ROBERTS — 13th Light Dragoons

Added 1.5.11. Additional information 24.9.12, 29.3.19.

Birth & early life

Born in the parish of St. Mary's, Dompbrook, near Dublin, c.1827.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Newbridge on the 29th of July 1846.

Age: 19.

Height: 5' 9".

Trade: Labourer.

Appearance: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Auburn hair.

Service

1851 Census

Piershill Barracks, Leith South, Midlothian.

Thomas Roberts, 24, Private Soldier, born Dublin.

He is shown on a nominal roll of officers and men of the regiment at the Cavalry Depot, Scutari, made out on the 9th of November 1855, as being In Hospital there from the 4th of November.

From Private to Corporal: 1st of May 1858.

Confined, for "drunkenness", 9th-19th of July, and tried and reduced to Private by a Regimental Court-martial on the 20th of July 1860.

From Private to Corporal: 22nd of March 1866.

Corporal to Sergeant: 17th of July 1868.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh, on the 6th of August 1870, at "Own request, after 24 years' service."

Served 24 years 8 days.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years. Canada, 2 years 10 months.

Conduct: "very good."

In possession of five Good Conduct badges when promoted to the rank of Sergeant

Four times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Once tried by Court-martial.

He was awarded a pension of 1/5d. per day from the 6th of September 1870.

To live in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

Medals

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

Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal with a gratuity of £5 on the 24th of October 1870.

Commemorations

Death & burial

Died at King's Lynn, Norfolk, on the 20th of March 1873.

References & acknowledgements

Census information for 1851 kindly provided by Chris Poole.


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