Home Search Index of men A-Z

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

Added 14.9.2011. Minor edits 1.4.14.

681, Private John RATCLIFFE — 17th Lancers

Birth & early life

Born at Chesham, Buckinghamshire, and christened there on the 3rd of January 1820, the son of Henry and Ann Ratcliffe.

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 8th of December 1841.

Age: 21.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: Labourer.

Features: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Light brown hair.

Service

Tried by a Regimental Court-martial and imprisoned 12th of September — 29th of October 1844.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Dublin on the 26th of November 1856, as:

"Considered unfit for the duties of a soldier and never likely to become efficient — from chronic rheumatism, which appears to have been aggravated by exposure in the Crimea. Disablement not aggravated by vice or intemperance."

Served 14 years 327 days.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years.

Conduct: "a good soldier."

In possession of one Good Conduct badge.

Aged 35 years on discharge.

Granted a pension of 9d. per day for a period of four years to the 20th of February 1861.

Medals & commemorations

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

Life after service

To live in Chesham, Bucks.

Death & burial

Died in the West London Pension District on the 10th of July 1859.

The death of a man of this name is recorded in the Watford District in the July-September quarter of 1859. No age at death is shown, this being before it was recorded.


New on the site Search Index of men R
For further information, or to express an interest in the project, please email the editors, Philip Boys & Roy Mills, via info@chargeofthelightbrigade.com